Pak-Afghan border: local elders contemplating defusing tensions through local Jirga

Amid growing fears of a major conflict on the Pak-Afghan border with both sides flexing muscles to retaliate in case of any assault, the local elders from both sides of the border are contemplating defusing tensions through a local Jirga, it was learnt. Sources privy to the development told Business Recorder that as the tension on the border in Parachinar, Kurram Agency further intensified, the locals on both sides stepped in to find a solution through local tribal system, a Jirga, and urged restraint on the two governments and cooperate with each other to cleanse the area of the militants.
"We are trying to defuse the situation through talks and the elders from Afghanistan side are sending messages to us to get together on the border to discus a possible way out to avert any major conflict," said a local elder who wished not to be named. According to him, the locals on both sides are feeling insecure not only from the militants and non-state actors but also due to an apparent major conflict between security forces of the two countries, as both sides are increasing the number of troops as well as arms on the border.
"In fact, they [locals] feel sandwiched between the militants and the security forces of the two countries," he said, adding they felt that a little mistake on either side could lead to a major clash between the two countries. People on both sides of the border in the villages including Borki, Kharlachi, Bughdi, Pewar, Tari Mengal, Muqbal areas on Pakistani side while Danda Pathan, Estiya, Kaimatai, Mir Hasan and Derweikhi areas of Afghanistan are living under extreme fear following the intensification of militants' activities.
An official of the political administration while talking to this correspondent on condition of anonymity expressed his inability to confirm the latest development but confirmed that the elders of the area were in contact with Afghan local elders for the recovery of three tribesmen of the Turi tribe who were kidnapped by militants a month ago.
Four locals belonging to Turi tribe were kidnapped by the militants in Afghanistan and one of them successfully escaped from his captors recently, he revealed, adding the local elders had also held a Jirga with their Afghan counterparts recently in which they also discussed the security situation and the need for cooperation between the two sides.
"I am not in a position to confirm another Jirga related to discussion on the border tension but the elders on both sides had successfully resolved issues in the past through Jirgas," the official further said.
Earlier, according to the local sources, the political administration had asked the people to evacuate the villages along the border due to the fear of a possible incursion on the local population but they declined to leave their villages and instead announced that they would defend their homes along side the security forces. Since then, the locals have deployed volunteers who are keeping a watch on the border along side the paramilitary forces, according to local sources.
The militants, according to sources, are time and again targeting border posts of Pakistani security forces from Afghanistan and the Afghan authorities are not taking any measures to keep a check on the militants' activities. To deal with situation, the security forces have increased the number of deployments on the border and installed tanks and other heavy weapons to retaliate against any incursion from across the border.
Last week, security forces stated that 18 terrorists were killed and six others were injured when the troops successfully repulsed an attack from across the border on a border post in Mangora Sar area in Lower Kurram Agency. Meanwhile, the locals also witnessed an increased deployment of troops on the other side of the border following Pakistani authorities extra security measures due to repeated militants' incursions from the Afghan side of the border.