Bannu Tribes Announce April 20 Deadline, Threaten to Remove Road Barriers Themselves

By: Abdus salam Baitab

Bannu: The Grand Qomee Jirga of the tribes of Bannu has set April 20 as the final deadline for opening all roads in Bannu and for eliminating “unknown good and bad elements.” It was announced that on April 20, the people will come out and then decide whether it is “now or never.” If the roads are not opened by the deadline, the public will take matters into their own hands, remove all barriers themselves, and reopen the roads. No further concessions will be given. In case of any clash, the responsibility for losses will lie with the institutions and administration. This was unanimously declared by the Jirga.

According to details, a joind Grand Jirga of all tribes of Bannu was held under the leadership of former Senators Haji Baz Muhammad Khan Advocate and Professor Muhammad Ibrahim Khan Advocate. Tribal elders from all tribes of Bannu participated fully and discussed the current situation in Bannu.

While addressing the Jirga, speakers including Haji Baz Muhammad Khan Advocate, Professor Muhammad Ibrahim Khan Advocate, Pir Dr. Sahib Zaman, Malik Zafar Hayat Khan, MPA Malik Pakhtun Yar Khan, Malik Yousafullah Khan, former Mayor Irfan Durrani, Naseer Ali Shah Al-Hashmi, Zia-ul-Haq, Malik Nazir Khan, Farmanullah Mirakhel, Haji Akhtar Ali Shah, Naz Ali Khan, Dr. Abdul Rauf Qureshi, Malik Iqbal Jadoon, Malik Raza Khan, Shaukat Ayaz Khan Advocate, Nisar Khan Advocate, Malik Hayat Khan, Yousaf Khan Mitakhel, Chief Mairan Malik Dil Nawaz Khan, Malik Saleem-ur-Rehman, Maulana Arifullah, Maulana Qudratullah, Pir Syed Ali Shah and others said that the patience of the people of Bannu has been exhausted and the “lava” building in their hearts is about to erupt.

The speakers announced that they are giving the administration and institutions time until April 20 to remove all obstacles and immediately open all roads. On April 20, the people will come out and stage a sit-in at Aman Chowk (Abdul Sattar Bukhari Chowk). From there, wherever the public wave moves and whatever actions are taken, the responsibility will lie with the administration and powerful authorities.

The Jirga also demanded that they will no longer tolerate either “good Taliban” or “bad Taliban,” as the people of Bannu are fed up with ongoing insecurity.
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Bannu (Abdus salam Baitab
Landowners of government schools and Class-IV employees staged a protest demonstration in front of the Bannu Press Club and later addressed a press conference. They stated that they will not accept recruitment of watchmen and peons through an open policy under any circumstances.

According to details, the landowner Class-IV employees of government schools protested against the Education Department’s decision to fill school posts through an open process instead of reserving them for landowners. They strongly criticized the current government’s policy and raised slogans against it.

On this occasion, Provincial President of School Owners Haji Faqir Muhammad, Khalid Nawaz Khan, Masoom Wazir and others said that the current government is committing an injustice against landowner Class-IV employees that has no precedent in the past. They said that they had provided their valuable land free of cost on the condition that Class-IV jobs would be given to them, but now the government is going back on that agreement and advertising the posts under an open recruitment policy.

They rejected this policy and announced that if anyone is recruited and comes to their schools, they will not accept them. If the government tries to use force, they will lock the schools since the land belongs to them, and the government will have to make alternative arrangements for the children.

They added that today’s protest is taking place across the province, and they are raising the issue at the provincial level. They also warned that they will not hesitate to shut down landowner schools across the entire province