SWAT: The two rival tribes in Kalam valley reached a peaceful settlement to reopen main road between Kalam and Utror for routine traffic and restore water supply to fields here on Tuesday.
The settlement reached at a grand jirga (local council), which was held at Commissioner’s Office in Saidu Sharif after a conflict arose out of the land dispute between the residents of Kalam and Utror valleys last year. The Jirga was presided over by Commissioner Malakand Division, Shaukat Ali Yousafzai while DIG Malakand Division, Zeeshan Asghar, Deputy Commissioner Swat, Junaid Khan, District Police Officer Zahid Nawaz Marwat, Assistant Commissioner Bahrain, Ishaq Ahmed, Assistant Commissioner Shiringal, Muhammad Yar and other officials also attended the Jirga.
Apart from Kalam and Utror valleys, the elders from Dir Kohistan also participated and played a key role in reconciliation between the residents of Kalam and Utror.
After discussions and suggestions, the parties agreed to keep roads open for daily traffic and restore water supply to agriculture fields. However, it was decided that the road opening decision would not be applicable to those persons against whom FIRs were registered as they would not be able to use road between Kalam and Utror.
The grand Jirga also made the parties agree that the parties would not interfere in each other’s affairs and cooperate with each other till the final decision on the land dispute.
Commissioner Malakand Division Shaukat Ali Yousafzai while addressing the jirga members said that the issue between the residents of Kalam and Utror had become critical for the past few months “To resolve the issue between both the parties the jirga has been called and we don’t want to temporarily resolve the issue but to pave the way for a permanent solution to the problem,” he said.
