Jirga to conduct negotiations with militants behind Diamer school attacks

–Govt-mandated jirga to negotiate with militants to surrender

ISLAMABAD: A jirga in Diamer, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) is conducting negotiations to make the militants responsible for the burning of more than a dozen schools in the region earlier this year to surrender.

GB government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq made the announcement on Sunday, adding that the 30-member jirga was given the mandate to hold the negotiations with the militants.

Faraq explained that since the militants live with their families in the mountains and the government did not wish to use force, the jirga was allowed to hold talks.

During the night between August 3 and 4, some unidentified militants set on fire 12 schools for girls in Gilgit-Baltistan and later on reports were received that two more schools were set ablaze. Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on August 4 had taken a suo motu notice of the incidents in Diamer and Chilas.

Later on, the police said that the suspected militant involved in the burning of 14 girl schools was killed in an exchange of fire with security officials.

While authorities are searching for 15 suspects in the attacks, approximately 40 people have been arrested over the incident till date.

Earlier this month, police in GB claimed that it had arrested a suspected militant commander reportedly involved in the attacks.

According to police, the suspect militant named Qari Hidayatullah was arrested during an operation in Darel area. It added that three other individuals were arrested along with Hidayatullah.

A police spokesperson said that police, GB Scouts and other law enforcement agencies conducted the operation with assistance provided by a local tribal Jirga.