PESHAWAR, June 11: Tribesmen living in the upper parts of Kurram Agency have stopped supply of drinking water to Parachinar city after the political authorities refused to pay them annual royalty on water.

A joint press release issued by the elders of Zeran locality of Kurram Agency said that the local administration had stopped payment of monetary compensation to the people from whose area drinking water was being supplied to the Parachinar town for the last three years. The authorities had even refused to discuss the situation, the press release added.

The elders said that Rs240,000 had been outstanding against the authorities which was to be paid to the tribe during the last three years. As a result, the tribe had suspended drinking water supply to the Parachinar city as a mark of protest.

The elders complained that now the administration had imposed a fine of Rs200,000 on the tribe. They said that water supply to the city would not be restored unless the administration paid the outstanding dues.

They also demanded that the NWFP governor should look into the matter and take action against the assistant political agent concerned.