PARACHINAR: The local elders have shown resentment over shifting of the proposed cadet college from the native town of a martyred army officer to another place in Kurram Agency.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Haji Sher Afzal, father of Maj Gulfam Hussain, and elders of Alamsher appealed to Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and commander of 11th Corps to establish the proposed cadet college in the town of the deceased’s officer.

Major Gulfam laid down his life along with six soldiers during clashes with terrorists in Tirah valley of Khyber Agency in March 2015. The then army chief retired Gen Raheel Sharif had announced establishment of a cadet college in Alamsher to honour Maj Gulfam.

Army had also offered incentives to the father of the deceased officer but he sought establishment of the cadet college at Alamsher. The local tribesmen had offered land free of cost for construction of the college. However, the project could not take place.

Haji Sher Afzal said that delay in the execution of the project caused disappointment among the people of upper tehsil of Kurram Agency. He said that authorities were planning to establish the college on a disputed land in Balishkhel area in lower Kurram.

He said that they resisted shifting of the college from Maj Gulfam’s hometown to a disputed territory. “Shifting of the proposed institution from Alamsher to another area will be injustice with the martyred officer,” he said.

Mr Afzal said that people would not let the local administration to propose another site for the college. He said that Balishkhel was like a ‘no go area’. He appealed to army chief to take notice of delay in construction of the college.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2017