LANDI KOTAL: Tribal elders of three major tribes of Khyber Agency have called upon the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan to remove misunderstandings cropping up after the cross-border clashes at Torkham border last month and resolve all their issues through negotiations.

Addressing a press conference here on Friday, the Zakhakhel, Shinwari and Shalman elders announced their full support to the border management policy of the government of Pakistan, but insisted that leniency be shown to tribes living on both sides of the border and local businessmen.

Spealcing on the occasion, Malak Darya Khan Zakhakhel pointed out that the tense situation evolving after the border clashes over construction of a gate had affected the bilateral political and trade relations between the two neighboring countries besides creating an atmosphere of hatred among ordinary citizens of both the countries.

`We fully support the visa restriction policies of our government but would appeal to the authorities concerned for relaxation in cross-border movement of local tribesmen and businessmen,` the Zakhakhel elder insisted, adding that decades old tribal relations had now converted into family relationshipamong thousands of Shinwari, Mohmand, Afridi and other Afghan tribes living on both sides of the border.

He said that the new restrictions had created many difficulties for these tribes as they used to frequently cross the border for a number of times daily prior to the imposition of visa restriction since June 1.

He urged the government of Pakistan to take the local tribesmen into confidence before devising any border policy with Afghanistan. He suggested issuing of time-barred temporary route permits to these tribesmen as they had different types of small and medium size businesses on both sides of the border which was the only legitimate source oftheirearning.

Another elder, Shah Hussain Shinwari said that people of tribal areas had suffered a lot due to use of force in recent years. `Our government could take a clue from the Europeancountries in its implementation of visa policy with its immediate neighbours and bring about relaxation in cross-border movement ofthe citizens,` Mr Shinwari said.

He stressed that the issue be resolved through diplomatic and political channels.

Malik Abdullah Khan, Malakzada Khalid Khan, Malik Khurshid, Malakzada Mohammad Nadeem and Malik Parvaiz said that a jirga of Khyber elders would soon meet the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor, security officials and elders of other tribal agencies for the speedy and peaceful resolution of the border issue. He said that a jirga would also be held for devising consensus among all the tribesmen living along the border with Afghanistan.

These elders also took serious notice of the alleged rough treatment with the Khugakhel families residing near the border by Khyber Rifles and demanded that all these families be exempted from body search at Shaheed Morr checkpoint.-Correspondent