NWA traders end Islamabad sit-in after talks with political administration

ISLAMABAD: The traders from North Waziristan Agency, who had been staging a protest sit-in in Islamabad, ended their demonstration after talks succeeded with officials of the political administration on Friday.

The traders had been staging the sit-in for the past four days, however, talks between a delegation sent by them and the political administration succeeded at the National Press Club on Friday.

Sources informed Geo News that the breakthrough occurred during a meeting of traders' representatives with Director General of Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor.

The meeting lasted for four hours, during which the representatives were assured of compensation for their losses and another meeting for resolution of the issue in North Waziristan, sources added.

Following the talks, Mohammad Shafique made an announcement pertaining to ending the sit-in. Ajmal Baloch, president of Islamabad traders association, said the DG ISPR has assured of rehabilitation of the traders' businesses.

Sources further said that a meeting would also be held in North Waziristan on April 22 and a committee would be constituted to compensate all losses. The assistant political agent would be responsible for implementation of an agreement reached between the traders and political administration, they said.

Senator Aurangzeb Orakzai and trade figure Ajmal Baloch will be the guarantors of the agreement, sources added.

In his tweets later, the DG ISPR said that economic rehabilitation of tribes had taken priority and mainstreaming of FATA remained a key to their empowerment and prosperity.

"Affected NWA traders shall have a meeting with local civil-military [officials] and FATA secretariat representatives on 22 April to discuss genuine issues and way forward," he said.

"Brave tribes of FATA have achieved peace & stability after lot of hardships & sacrifices. Restoration of normal life after kinetic operation is part of ‘clear-hold-build-transfer’ strategy," Major General Ghafoor said further.

"State, including security forces, is committed to rehabilitate the affected population."

He said: "We are through with challenges of ‘clear’ phase after kinetic operations, ‘hold & build’ in progress. It’s our home, by working together we shall gradually bring back complete normalcy. It’s time to be aware of inimical forces trying to create uncertainty but shall never succeed, IA."