The Bannu Aman Jirga, a traditional gathering of elders, concluded its meeting at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister’s House and presented 11 key demands aimed at improving security and stability in the region.
The Jirga, representing local concerns, expressed strong opposition to Operation Azm-e-Istehkam and called for more effective measures to address the Taliban presence.
Key requirements
Operation Azm-e-Istehkam: The Jirga expressed its disapproval of the recently announced military operation and said it was unacceptable.
Elimination of Taliban presence: The jirga emphasized the need to eliminate both good and bad Taliban and their centers.
Enhanced police powers: They demanded that police patrol units be given more powers at night, including the power to intervene immediately during their operations.
Respect for civilian spaces: There was a strong plea against the desecration of schools and homes during search operations, highlighting the anger and unrest among local residents over such practices.
Curbing Taliban Movement: The Jirga insisted on strict measures to curb the movement of the Taliban and called for decisive action against them.
Local Administration: It was requested that local administrations be empowered to act against the Taliban as soon as they are spotted.
Addressing missing persons: They urged authorities to produce missing persons and related records in court and sought transparency and justice for affected families.
Strengthening law enforcement: There was a call to increase the capacity of the police force and to activate both the police and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) to fight terrorism more effectively.
Targeted CTD operations: The Jirga demanded that only the CTD conduct operations against the Taliban to dismantle their networks.
Medical Treatment of Injured Police: It has been proposed that police personnel injured in terrorist incidents should be treated at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH).
Access to Juma Khan Road: They requested that Juma Khan Road in Bann should not be closed and remain open to the public.
