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Jirga to meet Taliban for Hangu peace

HANGU: A tribal jirga would hold meetings with Swat-based Taliban to ensure peace in the restive Hangu district, sources said on Monday. The jirga left for an undisclosed location to hold negotiations with the Taliban leadership after meetings with the NWFP chief minister and Hangu district co-ordination officer (DCO). The jirga comprises local ulema and elected representatives of the Hangu district and the Aurakzai Agency. The provincial leadership and the district administration has authorised the jirga to finalise the terms with Taliban to halt the ongoing violence in the area. Hussain Asghar, a jirga member, said that the chief minister requested that no member would talk to the media about the negotiations. He also said that both the official numbers and the ones presented by Taliban regarding the casualities and damages during the operation were misleading. Meanwhile, curfew remained in force for the 12 consecutive day in the Doaba area and for the fifth day in Hangu. However, in Hangu the curfew was relaxed for nine hours from 8am to 5pm. The government launched the operation on Wednesday after Taliban killed 17 troops in Hangu on July 12. Fifteen men have died in the operation so far, while 60 have been injured. staff report

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