Khyber - A special jirga, held in Landi Kotal on Wednesday under the supervision of the district administration, was convened in accordance with the Chief Minister’s special instructions under the Good Governance Policy.
Besides Additional District Commissioner (ADC) Nauman Ali Shah and Assistant Commissioner Adnan Mumtaz, officials from various line departments, along with a large number of tribal elders, political elites, and people from different walks of life, participated in the meeting.
Highlighting the aims and purpose of the jirga, ADC Nauman Ali Shah stated that the goal was to gather information about the genuine and primary problems facing the tribesmen, compile a comprehensive report, and submit it to the provincial government for resolution. He emphasised that the provincial government was serious about addressing the hardships of the locals, despite limited resources.
Earlier, local tribal leaders, including Tehsil Chairman Haji Shah Khalid, Malik Abdur Razaq, Malik Khalid Khan, Malik Nadir Khan Shinwari, Mirajuddin Shinwari, Akhtar Ali, and others, expressed their dissatisfaction with the efficiency of the line departments. They voiced numerous complaints regarding provision of basic facilities, including the poor law and order situation, lack of healthcare and education, and inadequate electricity and road infrastructure.
They criticised the incumbent government for its ineffective governance, declaring the current era the worst they have ever experienced. Additionally, they urged the government to take the situation seriously and reopen the Pak-Afghan highway, which has been blocked by Koki Khel Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) for the past 36 days, exacerbating their difficulties.
Following his speech, Tehsil Chairman Haji Shah Khalid, along with dozens of councillors, boycotted the jirga in protest, stating that such gatherings were organised only for photo opportunities and not to resolve the long-standing issues faced by the tribal community.