MANSEHRA: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet is to approve the creation of a new district and seven tehsils in the province today (Wednesday).

This was claimed by president of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Hazara chapter Zargul Khan during a news conference here on Tuesday.

The PTI leader said the cabinet would approve a proposal to declare Kohistan’s Kolai Palas area a district and Haripur’s Khanpur, Abbottabad’s Buai, Mansehra’s Darband and Baffa-Pakhal tehsils in Hazara division.

He said the formation of three more tehsils would also be approved in the cabinet meeting.

Mr Zargul said the government was striving to empower the people of the province, especially those living in neglected ones, for own development.

He claimed he would win the by-election for a provincial assembly’s constituency in Kohistan.

The seat had fallen vacant after the resignation of the incumbent, Maulana Asmatullah of the JUI-F.

The PTI leader said Maulana Asmatullah had vacated his seat for him as a goodwill gesture and that his move was endorsed by more than 500 notables of Kohistan in a jirga.

He said the differences in the PTI-led district government in Torghar had been addressed and therefore, district nazim Noor Mohammad would soon resign from his office letting another councillor of the party contest the election and become MPA.

The district president of PTI Babar Saleem Swati was also present on the occasion.

AFGHANS RETURNED: Around 17,000 Afghan refugees have returned from Mansehra district in six months, while around 38,000 continue to live there either in camps or outside.

This was disclosed by district administrator (Afghan refugees) Naeem Shahzad Khan while talking to reporters during a farewell party here on Tuesday.

The event was organised by the staff members of the Afghan refugees’

administrator office for Tanveer Hussain Shah, who recently retired as the administrator.

New administrator Naeem Shahzad said the government had extended the stay of Afghan refugees in the country by Dec 2017.

He said half of the 38,000 Afghan refugees living in Mansehra had settled outside camps.

Mr Hussain said the Afghan nationals, who returned after securing Pakistani visa, lived in the district on their own as they’re not given shelter.

He said the fresh registration of Afghan refugees had been closed but the Afghan children aged below five were exception.

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2017