Pakistan's Mehsud tribe urges for dialogue between army, TTP

Amidst persistent lawlessness in the South Waziristan tribal district, a group of leaders or jirga of the Mehsud tribe, on Friday made an appeal to the Pakistan security forces and the banned the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to cease hostilities in the region for one month, calling for a dialogue in the district.

Some of the elders of the three main branches of the Mehsud tribe convened in the deputy commissioner's camp headquarters in the Tank district of South Waziristan and after in-depth discussions, a jirga committee comprising 35 members was formed, Dawn newspaper reported.

The committee was authorized to conduct peace negotiations with the Pakistan government and the TTP militants in a bid to prevent impending military operations in the Shawal and Lawara areas of South Waziristan, largely inhabited by the Mehsud tribe.

Further, sources revealed that Pakistan security forces had ordered the tribal residents of Shawal and Lawara to evacuate the region and vacate their homes after Eid-ul-Fitr, reported the Dawn newspaper. The command was in lieu to begin an offensive by the security personnel against terrorists hiding in secret in these regions, the dauly reported.

However, the 35-member jirga refused to vacate their homes. They pleaded with both the Pakistan security forces and the TTP to refrain from hostility at least for a month. Moreover, the jirga will also meet the Pakistan Prime Minister, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, and the TTP, accompanied by the corps commander Peshawar to reach a peaceful solution to the situation.

Meanwhile, the security personnel stated that upon the request of the Mehsud tribe elders, the offensive against TTP elements was put on hold for now, reported the Dawn newspaper.

( With inputs from ANI )

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