LANDIKOTAL: Tribal elders on Thursday mediated and secured a temporary ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan to retrieve a dead body lying at the Pak-Afghan border Zero Point for the last one week, jirga members said.
Tribal and political figures, including Malik Tajuddin Shinwari, Shah Khalid Shinwari, Murad Hussain Afridi, and Mufti Ijaz, along with several other elders and community leaders, were part of a delegation from the Pakistani side.
Carrying white flags in their hands, the delegation members reached the Torkham border Zero Point and met Afghan tribal elders. On the Afghan side, tribal elders included Malik Haji Mustyar Shinwari, Malik Mullah Khan Shinwari, Raees Gul, Majid Shinwari, Malik Darya Khan, Wali Khan Shinwari, and others.
Elders from both sides first met Pakistani and Afghan authorities before participating in the humanitarian effort.Local elder Malik Tajuddin Shinwari told The News that the ceasefire remained in effect until 5:30pm on Thursday on humanitarian grounds. He said they first obtained assurances and an oath from authorities on both sides to respect the pause in fighting during this period. Shinwari said the temporary truce allowed tribal representatives to reach the conflict zone and identify the body lying near the Zero Point at the Torkham border crossing.
He said the deceased was identified as an Afghan citizen, adding that Afghan jirga members told them the body could be shifted after approval from the Afghan government for proper burial.
Tribal elders from both sides said the initiative was purely humanitarian and based on sympathy for the victims of the conflict.They urged forces on both sides to respect the principles of war and ensure that those killed in the clashes were shifted to their homeland for funeral rites according to local traditions.
The development came after nearly thirteen days of intense clashes between Pakistani forces and Afghan Taliban border forces in the Torkham area. The fighting has reportedly caused casualties and injuries on both sides, while civilians living near the border have also been affected.
Residents of villages close to the border have fled to safer areas due to continued shelling and mortar fire, raising concerns about the humanitarian situation in the region.Tribal elders expressed hope that the temporary ceasefire and their joint efforts would help ease tensions and prevent further loss of life along the sensitive frontier.
