SHANGLA: The elders of Shangla and Kohistan districts have formed a jirga to settle the murder case of former district education officer Nawab Ali, who was killed at his office in Kolai Pallas Kohistan in October last year.

The eight-member jirga including elders from various parts of Upper and Lower Kohistan and Kolai Pallas Kohistan visited Chakesar, the native town of the slain DEO, on Wednesday.

Sources said that around 200 elders from different part of Shangla attended the jirga, apart from family members of the assassinated DEO.

They said that the Kohistan’s delegation comprising Malak Misar Khan, Malak Aurangzeb, Malak Mukhtyar, Malak Qadam Khan, Malak Afareen Khan and Malak Attaur Rehman requested the Shangla elders to give power of attorney to Kohistan jirga and then they would also take power of attorney from Kolai Pallas jirga to settle the case.

Advocate Fayaz Ahmed Khan, president of Shangla Bar Association and a member of Chakesar jirga, told Dawn that they gave power of attorney to the 200-member jirga of Shangla consisting of elders from all union councils of the district.

He said that Shangla elders formed a 10-member jirga that would pursue the upcoming negotiations regarding the matter. He added the next meeting of the jirga would be held in Bisham.

Malak Asad, a member of Kohistan jirga, told Dawn that the Shangla jirga and Kohistan jirga formed a special committees consisting of 10 members each that would continue talks to find out a solution for settlement of the dispute.

He said that MNA Malak Afareen Khan, MPA Maulana Abdul Ghafar Khan, Malak Misar Khan, Mehboobullah Jan, Malak Aurangzeb, Malak Mukhtyar, Malak Qadam Khan and Maulana Attaur Rehman were members of the committee.

He said they had also assured the elders of Shangla that they would hold talks with the Pallas jirga for taking power of attorney from them to find out of court settlement of the murder case.

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2020