“We have received complaints against these committees,” he said.. PHOTO: APP
Peace committees have now been rendered non-functional in various parts of the tribal belt after Operation Zarb-e-Azb was launched in June 2014, insiders told The Express Tribune.
When contacted, Mohmand Political Agent Waqar Ali told The Express Tribune on Wednesday such committees will no longer be expected to ensure security in the region.
“We have received complaints against these committees,” he said. “They operate as states within a state and we cannot risk granting them too much authority.”
According to Ali, action has been taken against committee members and their role is now restricted to their respective villages rather than the entire tehsil.
Misuse of authority
In some parts of the tribal belt, locals have repeatedly complained about peace committee leaders who have misused their position to serve their own narrow interests.
A resident of Khwaizai tehsil, who was forced to vacate the area and now resides in Peshawar, told The Express Tribune he cannot return home fearing he would be killed by peace committee leaders.
“I appreciate the administration’s efforts to weaken their authority,” he said. “If we don’t introduce checks and balances now, these peace committee leaders will become a serious threat later.”
Muhammad Ali Haleemzai, a peace committee leader from Haleemzai tehsil, admitted some peace committee leaders have misused their power and engaged in a series of malpractices.
Taking a stance
According to Haleemzai, making these committees completely non-functional would not serve as an effective solution either.
“These committees stepped in when the political administration and the government failed,” he said.
“If the government stops supporting them, peace committee members will be left at the mercy of militants,” he said. “Moreover, it will create a cycle of distrust between them and the government.”
Awami National Party’s Mohmand Agency President Nisar Mohmand lauded the role of these peace committees. However, he strongly urged the government to introduce checks and balances to ensure they are kept on a tight leash.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 9th, 2015.
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