MANSEHRA: The people of Pattan tehsil have announced an end to the social boycott of the people of Pales tehsil following the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister’s notification of Kohistan’s bifurcation.

“We formally announce the immediate restoration of our social links with the people of Pales. From now on, we allow them to use our soil to go to other parts of Kohistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” parliamentary secretary for industries in the National Assembly Sarzameen Khan told participants of a jirga held in Pattan on Saturday.

Local lawmakers, elders, ulema and people from other walks of life attended the meeting.

Adviser to the chief minister Abdul Haq and prayer leader of Pattan’s central mosque Maulana Kareem were also in attendance.

End social boycott of people of Pales after SC verdict in favour of district’s division

On Jan 16 this year, the Supreme Court upheld the provincial government’s notification of Kohistan’s division into Upper and Lower Kohistan districts.

Sarzameen Khan told the jirga that the people of Pales tehsil had opposed the bifurcation of Kohistan and therefore, the people of Pattan socially boycotted them.

“Now, we’re happy to see the Supreme Court give us our right. In future, we all will live together as residents of two tehsils of Lower Kohistan district,” he said.

CM adviser Abdul Haq said an end to the social boycott of Pales people by Pattan people was direly needed following the Supreme Court’s decision.

“We respect all residents of the district and will continue doing so,” he said.

Maulana Kareem declared the Supreme Court’s decision historic and said it promised socioeconomic development of local residents.

“We are pleased to end the social boycott of the people of Pales. This goodwill gesture on our part will bury differences with the people of both the tehsils forever,” he said.

On Jan 2016, a full-member Peshawar High Court bench nullified the notification of Kohistan’s bifurcation.

Led by Abdul Haq, the people of Pattan later challenged the decision in the Supreme Court, which upheld the notification earlier this week.

Published in Dawn January 22nd, 2017