BATTAGRAM: A jirga here on Friday flayed federal religious minister Sardar Mohammad Yousaf for approving a water supply scheme for the Mansehra district from the Nendyar River, which is the main source of water supply to the Battagram district.

The participants vowed to not let anybody to act against their interests. They said that the water supply scheme was illegal and against the will of the people of Battagram.

Political and social activists and elders participated in the jirga. The prominent among those were Haji Tahmas Khan of Battagram Qawmi Ittehad, PPP Hazara division president Akhter Javed Khan and village naib nazim Shamsur Rehman.

They opined that the federal minister had taken the decision for the sake of appeasing his voters and supporters, ignoring the interests of Battagram people.

They said the river irrigated agricultural land in Battagram, producing rice, wheat, maize and different vegetables, and by allowing such scheme from the Nendyar River would be a disaster for Battagram agriculture sector, as water level would decrease drastically in the river.

They also accused the local elected people and the district administration of being silent on the mater.

MERGER OF AREAS OPPOSED: A jirga of Allai tehsil tribes held in Banna area the other day urged the government not to merge Chorr and Baleeja areas into the newly-established Kolai Palas district as these areas fell in the limits of Battagram district.

The participants claimed the provincial government mentioned areas of Battagram district in the territory of newly-established Kolai Palas district just for gaining political mileage.

They said before this the Kohistan district was divided into two districts, but for inducting Zar Gul into the provincial assembly the chief minister made commitment of carving out a third district.

The participants also criticised the local MPA from JUI-F and tehsil government of PTI for their failure to safeguard rights of their voters. The jirga noted that Chorr and Baleeja areas belonged to Allai tehsil which was also mentioned on the province’s map.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2017