.Khyber Agency political administration imposed a fine of Rs120 million on the entire Sipah tribe for causing damage to military hardware and attacking security forces in its territory, especially Spin Qabar area, in October last year when forces launched 'Khyber One' military operation against the banned bad boy organization Lashkar-e-Islam
...a group of Islamic bandidos infesting Khyber Agency. It's headed by a former bus driver....
in the area.
The administration had informed a jirga of Sipah that members of the tribe would not be allowed to go back to their homes and all their official perks and privileges would remain suspended unless they paid the fine.
The Sipah elders met at Bagh-e-Naran in Hayatabad, Beautiful Downtown Peshawar
...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province), administrative and economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Peshawar is situated near the eastern end of the Khyber Pass, convenient to the Pak-Afghan border. Peshawar has evolved into one of Pakistan's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire.
and decided against paying the fine. The Sipah elders also formed a committee, headed by Shah Faisal, to resolve the issue by holding talks with the administration.
Shah Faisal told Dawn that his tribe was not ready to pay the fine come what may. "It is totally unjust and not acceptable as we have not committed any crime," he said, adding that his tribe was ready to resolve the issue through negotiations.
Mr Faisal said that properties of Sipah families worth billions of rupees were destroyed during the military operations while more than 200 shops in Bara Bazaar were demolished in the name of repairing the road but they were not paid a single penny as compensation.
He said that imposition of such a hefty fine had no precedent in the entire Fata. The political administration made the Sipah tribe a scapegoat to hide its inefficiency and failure to restore peace in Bara.
"We have formed a committee to hold parlays with the government but we would not hesitate in starting agitation if the government refuses to acknowledge our just demands of withdrawing the fine," the tribal elder said.