Prominent tribal elder Nawabzada Fazal Karim Afridi has demanded judicial inquiry into the killing of innocent and peaceful tribesmen in the air strike in inaccessible Sra Wela of Tirah Valley in Khyber Agency, few days back. The residents of the area, he said have declined to receive nominal compensation announced by the Governor NWFP.
The governor has announced an amount of Rs 10 million as compensation to the heirs of the victims. Afridi called for payment of at least Rs 0.5 million to the heirs of each deceased and Rs 0.150 million for each injured as compensation. He said that the tribesmen are demanding judicial inquiry and fixation of responsibility on the responsible people in this regard.
He regretted that in the land of pure Pakistanis, tribesmen are being treated worse than 'Stone Age era'. The tribal elder said they residents of the area are patriotic Pakistanis having no concern with militancy and terrorism and accorded warm welcome to the deployment of military in the area after the incident of 9/11. People of the locality provided logistic support to the military personnel in supply of food and other items, he added.
"Three members of the one targeted family are Frontier Corps (FC) personnel and Pakistan Army struck in the attack. The residents that rushed for the rescue of the targeted house also come under attack when they were retrieving the dead bodies." More than 70 people were killed and more than 100 injured in an air strike in the far-flung Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency. According to independent sources, the victims were innocent and the family members of some were even serving in the military and security forces of the country.