By Sudhir Ahmad Afridi
LANDI KOTAL: In a significant demonstration, the Koki Khel tribe has announced a march towards Tirah on October 14, joined by thousands of Pashtuns, to advocate for the reopening of closed areas and the restoration of displaced persons. The gathering took place at the historic Bab-e-Khyber in Jamrud Bazaar, District Khyber, where representatives from various political parties and community leaders expressed solidarity with the affected individuals.
The attendees issued a declaration demanding the government to facilitate the return of displaced persons to the Tirah Rajgal region. They stressed that if no announcement regarding their return is made, a march with all Pashtuns will proceed on October 14. The participants called for the establishment of peace throughout District Khyber and the wider Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, insisting on an end to the imposed conflict.
The meeting condemned the recent police action against a Pashtun jirga in Khyber, where firing and the use of tear gas resulted in injuries. Key speakers at the gathering included former provincial head of Jamaat-e-Islami, Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, along with political figures such as Malik Nasir Ahmad Koki Khel, Sadiq Afridi, and Sherin Afridi, president of the Bara Political Alliance. They highlighted the plight of the Kuki Khel community, which has endured 15 years of instability and displacement due to violence and adverse conditions.
