Govt fails to control Pachiragam fighting: tribal elders

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): The Khogyani tribal elders on Wednesday said the provincial and central governments had failed to control the ongoing fighting in Pachiragam district of eastern Nangarhar province.

Coming all the way from Shirzad, Pachiragam and Khogyani districts, the elders criticized the Nangarhar governor over what they said breaching promises with regard to aiding displaced families and controlling the fighting in Pachiragam district.   

A number of provincial council members attended the gathering at the council office’s yard. The participants asked the provincial administration and the central government to assist the Pachiragam’s families.

A resident of Pachiragam district, Haji Ghulam Dastgir, claimed security forces maintained a symbolic presence in the troubled town because they had not yet conducted any productive operation. “If the government really wants to crush Daesh then it should send more commando forces to the district because the commandoes are the ones who can beat Daesh.”

A tribal elder from Khogyani district, Haji Shukurallah, said their gathering was aimed at conveying Pachiragam people’s voice to the government. He blasted the government for not being committed to protecting people because Pachiragam residents had been under attack over the past 15 days.

Shukurallah said Pachiragam people were being victimized by Daesh and the government had failed to come to their rescue.  

Ajmal Omar, a provincial council member and a tribal influential from Khogyani district, also confirmed the government had been unable to provide Pachiragam people with needed assistance.

“The governor has promised Pachiragam will be cleared in two days; but it has been 10 more than days and even a single village has not been cleared so far.”

The tribal elders warned of erecting protest tents if Pachiragam’s fighting wasn’t controlled and the displaced people not aided in a few days.

However, Nangarhar governor’s spokesman, Attaullah Khogyani, said the government wasn’t silent and security reinforcements had reached the province and also the process to assist the displaced people had been launched. He said the operations against Daesh militants had been slow going in order to avoid civilian casualties.

sns/ma

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