TIMERGARA: The Adenzai Qaumi Jirga while calling for addressing the grievances of landowners has vowed to extend all-out support for construction of Sanam Dam.

The jirga met at the hujra of its president Khurshid Ali Khan the other day. The jirga members, including MPA Bakht Baidar Khan, Adenzai Tehsil Nazim Qamar Zaman, assistant commissioner Shah Jamil Khan and other political workers attended the meeting.

The participants termed the project a revolutionary step for development of agriculture sector. The participants said not only the Adenzai Qaumi Jirga but also all the political parties would support the dam construction. They also demanded of the government to resolve grievances of the landowners and take them into confidence before starting work on the project.

Tufail Ahmad, a representative of the landowners, informed the jirga that landowners had been demanding change in design of the dam, restriction of the dam height up to 103 feet and fixation of market rates for their lands.

The assistant commissioner told the jirga that demands of the landowners would be sent to relevant authorities.

ALLEGATIONS REJECTED: Minister for finance Muzafar Syed on Sunday rejected the allegations of rigging the recent local bodies by-elections in Lower Dir and said the losing parties and candidates wanted to deceive people through negative propaganda.

Talking to journalists at Talash, he said not only in Shahikhel Talash union council but also in the whole of PK-94 constituency development projects had been launched.

He said the JI candidates had swept the LG by-polls in Lower and Upper Dir districts, adding the party would also sweep the 2018 general elections.

The losing candidates backed by PPP, PML-N, PTI, ANP and JUI-F for tehsil council seat of Shahikhel Talash had on Saturday accused Jamaat-i-Islami of utilising government funds to rig the election, and demanded of the Election Commission of Pakistan to take notice of the pre-poll rigging and declare the election null and void. They alleged that women were also barred from voting.

The losing candidates claimed that plastic pipes, water pumps, cement bags and cash were distributed among the voters before the polling day.

Meanwhile, all political parties during a joint meeting held at Khall the other day demanded of the provincial government and ECP to declare Khall tehsil as a separate KP Assembly constituency before the 2018 elections.

ARREST DEMANDED: A widow from Amlook Darra village in Talash has demanded of the government and police department to arrest killers of her son, Shaukat Khan.

Talking to mediapersons, she threatened to burn herself in front of the court if the killers were not arrested. She said Shaukat Khan, a cab driver, was killed on the night of Nov 9 by one Janbar Khan and his son. She alleged that the two had been threatening her to withdraw the case.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2017