MANSEHRA: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan governments are to sign an agreement today (Friday) on the ownership of the either side of a disputed territory located on both federating units’ boundaries alongside the Karakoram Highway.

“The officials of KP and GB governments will sign the agreement on the ownership of the disputed territory in the presence of elders of both Harban (Kohistan) and Thor (Chilas) tribes,” political adviser to the chief minster Zargul Khan told reporters here on Thursday.

He said the agreement signing ceremony would take place in Shitial area of Upper Kohistan in light of the modalities finalised by both Harban and Thor tribesmen in Aug 2016 after a series of negotiations in Abbottabad, Peshawar and Kohistan.

The tribesmen had also visited the disputed territory at that time and demarcated areas to be included in either side.

Agreement will later be submitted to federal govt for land demarcation

The disputed territory measuring almost six kilometers and located alongside the Karakoram Highway on the KP-GB border is currently controlled by the federal government through the Frontier Constabulary.

The FC solders were deployed there after four tribesmen, three from Harban tribe and one from Thor, were killed in an exchange of fire in 2014.

Mr Zargul said the agreement would permanently end the dispute between the two governments as well as between both tribes over the ownership of a piece of land.

He said local forest minster Mohammad Imran, MLA Haider Khan and Chilas deputy commissioner would represent the GB team in the ceremony, where 40 elders, 20 from each side, would also be in attendance.

The CM adviser said after it was signed, the agreement would be submitted to the federal government for necessary action and land demarcation.

The territory dispute has become a major hurdle to the execution of the 4500MW Diamer-Basha hydropower power project for which the federal government has secured international loans.NEW TEHSIL OPPOSED: A group of the people from Shinkiari on Thursday announced they would move the court of law against the creation of Baffa-Pakhal tehsil in the district.

The announcement was made during a meeting, where people from different walks of life were in attendance .

On Wednesday, the provincial cabinet had approved the creation of a new district, Kolai-Palas, and eleven tehsils, including Baffa-Pakhal, in the province.

Chairman of the Movement of Shinkiari Tehsil Shabeer Khan said the people were not against the creation of Baffa-Pakhal tehsil but instead, they won’t be part of it.

“We want the PTI government to give the tehsil’s status to Shinkiari, which consists of 11 union councils of Shinkiari, Siren and Konsh valleys,” he said, warning the local residents would resist the government’s plan to include areas in the new Baffa-Pakhal tehsil.

He said the people would take the government to the court over the matter.

District councillor Mohammad Adnan said he would take up the issue with Chief Minister Pervez Khattak for necessary action and expected a positive outcome.

He said the government wanted to put backward areas of the province on the path to prosperity and development and therefore, neglected areas were being given the status of districts and tehsils.

Also in the day, the people of Shinkiari welcomed the creation of Baffa-Pakhal tehsil and distributed sweets.

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2017