Tribal elders address a press conference in Peshawar on Monday. — White Star

PESHAWAR: The Ahmedzai Wazir elders of South Waziristan Agency on Monday alleged the political agent of their region had misappropriated development funds.

They warned local tribesmen would agitate if the political agent was not removed immediately.

Accompanied by tribal elders Malik Afsar Khan, Malik Madi Khan, Malik Gul Mohammad and Malik Adalat Khan, Ahmedzai Wazir chieftain Malik Mohammad Jamil told reporters here that the political agent misappropriated development funds allocated for South Waziristan Agency.

He also alleged that the political agent and his staff took bribe from transporters to allow them to smuggle food items to Afghanistan.

The tribal chief also claimed the political agent spared the people illegally chopping down local forests and smuggling timber to Afghanistan for being paid off.

Threaten agitation if demand not met

He said his repeated requests to the governor and the federal government to act against the political agent fell on deaf ears.

Mohammad Jamil said the governor’s inspection team called him and the political agent lately to record statements on the matter.

“We recorded the statement but even then, no action has been taken against the political agent,” he said.

The chieftain said he provided evidence of the political agent’s corruption to the governor’s inspection team during a recent visit to Wana tehsil of South Waziristan.

He said the political agent had tried to bribe him to stop raising voice against his corrupt practices.

“We have three options – to move the court of law, approach the National Accountability Bureau or start protesting in Islamabad for the removal of the political agent to protect the resources and development funds of the region,” he said.

Mohammad Jamil also said strict action should be taken against the political agent over massive corruption.

He said if the government didn’t meet the demand, then the region’s all tribal elders would sit together to make an effective plan to ensure protection of the local resources.

Other elders, too, urged the federal government and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor to intervene and ensure the plundering of South Waziristan Agency’s development funds.

They said tribesmen of the region had suffered heavily due to militancy and therefore, they couldn’t afford the loot of their resources.

The elders said the government should consult them and begin development schemes in the region for the people’s development.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2015

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