TIMERGARA: Adviser to the prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-N leader Amir Muqam on Sunday said that his party’s government had planned to build a road up to the central Asian states that would pass through Lower, Upper Dir and Chitral districts.

He was addressing a public meeting at Talash, where a die-hard activist and tehsil councillor of Jamaat-i-Islami, Inayat ur Rehman, announced to join the PML-N along with his 3,000 supporters and eight independent village councillors.

It was the PML-N’s first show of power in the NA-34 constituency which is considered a JI stronghold, and where the JI candidate had got over 48,000 votes against PML-N’s only 2,000 in the 2013 general elections. PTI candidate had secured 45,000 votes in the polls.

The meeting was also addressed by PML-N Lower Dir president Malik Behram Shehzada, general secretary Sardar Javid Akhtar, and others.

The gathering was held in the ground of government technical college, Talash, which was decorated with welcome banners and party flags.

Mr Muqam alleged that some elements had been politicising the issue of Fata reforms for their vested interest. He declared that PML-N government would bring reforms to the tribal region.

Mr Muqam criticised JI chief Sirajul Haq, PTI chairman Imran Khan, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and ANP former senator Zahid Khan for what he said befooling the people of Dir on hollow slogans.

He said the JI chief had been destroying his party for the sake of two-three ministries in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said workers of PTI and JI had been joining PML-N in the province that showed a change was coming.

Mr Muqam claimed that Pakhtuns had become aware of the double standards of PTI and JI and that they would not vote them to power again.

He said the Chakdara-Chitral road was being constructed by the federal government, adding the PM would visit Chitral next month to inaugurate the Lowari tunnel.

The PML-N leader announced extension in gas projects, electrification, construction of Chakdara bypass road, Khadagzai feeder and provision of power transformers.

ARREST OF ROBBERS DEMANDED: Elders and political activists of Jandol on Sunday demanded of the Lower Dir administration and police to arrest a gang of robbers active in the area.

Speaking at a meeting at Jauzo, they said a day earlier one Ayub had opened fire on a robber at his house at Jauzo during night, as a result he was injured and the local police shifted him to hospital for treatment.

The elders demanded of the government to apprehend the whole gang so that the residents could take a sigh of relief.

Also in the day, several activists of ANP announced to quit their party and join the JI in Qandari village of Samarbagh tehsil. They made the announcement during a function with tehsil nazim Saeed Ahmad Bacha in the chair.

Published in Dawn February 13th, 2017