TIMERGARA: The opposition parties demanded on Saturday that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government take all Lower Dir district and tehsil councillors into confidence about distribution of relief assistance among Oct 26 earthquake-affected people in the district.

The demand was made during a meeting held here with ANP district president Hussain Shah Yousafzai in the chair and local leaders and councillors affiliated with ANP, PPP, JUI-F and QWP in attendance.

The speakers, including ANP’s Mohammad Zeb, PPP’s Alam Zeb, QWP’s Taza Khan and JUI-F’s Abdul Kabir, alleged that assistance was being given out to disaster victims either through JI councillors or through unelected party workers.

Insist assistance being given out to disaster victims through JI activists

They said the people of the ruling JI had been provided with relief assistance, while those of other parties had been waiting for it.

The district councillors complained they had been completely ignored in the entire process.

They said though the district nazim had pledged all elected councillors would be taken into confidence about relief assistance, the pledge had yet to be fulfilled.

The councillors said the damage assessment survey was supposed to be conducted by a local government representative along with officials of army and revenue department but ironically, none of the opposition councillors had been involved in the exercise.

The speakers also demanded better compensation for the earthquake victims.

They also said the government should appropriately increase the money being given for the reconstruction and repair of damaged houses.

The speakers warned the opposition parties would agitate if the district government didn’t change its behaviour towards them.

Also in the day, Jamaat-i-Islami leader Malik Fazal Mohammad announced he had joined the Awami national party along with family members and friends.

He made the announcement during a public meeting in Rahimabad Munda, where former ANP district president Haji Bahadar Khan was the chief guest.

ACTION AGAINST SCHOOLS’ STAFF: The newly-appointed district education officer, Lower Dir, Professor Mohammad Uzair on Saturday suspended the entire staff of two government schools for early closure of the campuses.

He also sent a letter to the education secretary for action against the principals.

The DEO went to the Government High School Speena Khawra and Government High School Rani and found them to be closed.

He asked heads of all Lower Dir government schools to strictly observe the official timings on the premises.

The DEO also asked the principal of Government High School Munjai and headmaster of Government High School Maidan Bandai to explain position on their alleged irregularities in the ongoing sports’ competitions among high and higher secondary schools.

Meanwhile, shields and trophies were distributed among high-achievers of a private school from different districts of Malakand division.

Director general of the foundation running the school, Fazal Aziz, who was the chief guest on the occasion, said Muslims could have better future by benefitting from modern science and technology.

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2015

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