KHAR: The post of additional political agent has been lying vacant for last four months owing to unknown reasons, sources in the Bajaur political administration told Dawn here on Friday.

They said the post fell vacant after Mohammad Irfanuddin was transferred out of the agency four months ago.

The sources said a row among some officials was said to be the reason behind the post staying vacant for so long.

The sources said absence of additional political agent had affected the routine work of the administration, particularly the monitoring of development activities of government and non-government agencies as the officer was meant to oversee their functions.

They claimed that no meeting of these agencies had taken place since the transfer of additional political agent. They pointed out that under the policy a meeting of officials of line departments and NGOs with the additional political agent was to take place once a month to review their activities.

An official of the local administration on condition of anonymity told Dawn that the administration had time and again requested the officials of Fata secretariat to fill the post, but to no avail. However, the official said the charge of additional political agent was temporarily assigned to assistant political agent, Khar, Mohammad Ali Khan.

RELIEF DISTRIBUTED: Pakistan Red Crescent (PRC) distributed relief package among poor people here the other day.

A function in this connection was held at the Bajaur Sports Complex in Khar where 140 deserving persons, among them physically challenged and widows, received relief packages comprising non-food items, including blankets, kitchen accessories, sewing machines and vocational training kits.

The ceremony was attended by officials of PRC, local administration, tribal elders and religious leaders.

Bajaur Agency Assistant Political Agent Tariqullah was the chief guest.

On the occasion, Mr Tariqullah said the physically challenged and widows were the most vulnerable segments of society, but unfortunately they had been ignored in provision of basic amenities and rights.

The official welcomed the PRC for initiating the scheme, and asked for ensuring transparency in distribution of relief so only deserving people were facilitated.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2017