By Hamid Khan Wazir
WANA, Pakistan: In an unprecedented development, the eight-member jirga of Wazir and Mehsud has made the impossible possible by finding out a negotiated settlement to the almost century-old land dispute between Nano Khel tribe of Mehsud and Sperkai tribe of Wazir.
The jirga was enjoying full support and backing from civil and military admiration as well as from their respective tribes to decide the long-pending dispute through parley.
The jirga members broke the historic agreement after four days of hectic efforts and holding several rounds of talks.
According to the agreement, a copy of which is available with this scribe, reads that the jirga made several rounds of talks and made tireless efforts for restoration of peace and resolution of the decades-old land dispute.
The jirga eventually evolved consensus and reached the agreement to draw clear boundary lines from all sides of the disputed areas to put an end to the feud once and for all.
The jirga members in the agreement jointly demanded of the local administration to assist them to further fortified the demarcations as it could remain a proof between the two tribes so as their future generation would never indulge in any such fight ever again.
It is pertinent to mention here that Nano Khel tribe of Mehsud and Sparekai tribe of Wazir had a conflict over an area between Shakai, Khesura, and Tururram Pull, which remained a constant source of tension between both the tribes since 1935. The then political agent engineered a truce and the disputed zone was declared no man’s land or Pathar-e-Bala (higher stone). As per the peace deal, no one will build anything in the Pathar-e-Bala area, except for government, which may build schools, hospitals, or any other facility it may deem fit.
However, in the absence of a permanent solution to the disputed land, fierce fighting had erupted between both the tribes on and off that resulted in claiming around a hundred precious lives from both sides.
Some two weeks ago, both these tribes fought fiercely over the same land; however, the local administration, army, and elders from other sub-tribes of Wazir and Mehsud avoided imminent bloodshed due to timely intervention.
The local administration and elders of other Wazir and Mehsud tribes eventually constituted the eight members jirga having four members from each of the warring tribe i.e., Sperkai and Nano Khel and later on some other members were also added to it.
The prominent members of Jirga were Ghulam Hassan, Habibullah Jan, Haji Layor Khan, Ghazi Muhammad, Sherzaman, and Haji Dawood Khan from Wazir side, while Miatullah Khan, Haji Shah Mehmood, Asghar Javed, Dr. Noor Khan, and Nasib Khan were from Mehsud side.
All these jirga members signed the historic document; however later on the local administration asked the jirga members to consult other elders of the same tribes in this regard.
Therefore, around 20 elders from each of the tribes including the jirga members signed the final document in the presence of local administration and Pak army officials to put an end to any confusion.
It is to be noted that earlier, the local administration, jirga members and other concerned departments officials signed a document that the jirga would be fully empowered and backed by the local administration, army and police to materialize the dream and asked the jirga members that the administration should be informed if any spoil work can play.
However, during the whole process, all state institutions including local administration, police, army, and jirga played a significant role to turn the dream into a reality.
