GHALANAI: Awami National Party, Mohmand Agency, president Nisar Mohmand has asked Jamaat-i-Islami to clarify its position on the issue of merger of Federally Administered Tribal Areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after revival of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal.

He was addressing a party meeting at Sagi Bala in Safi tehsil here the other day. On this occasion, scores of workers of other parties announced to join ANP.

Mr Mohmand asked the local administration to stop arrests of tribesmen and demolition of their houses in the name of collective responsibility. He said that Safi tehsil was badly affected by militancy and military operation and the local tribesmen had rendered sacrifices for restoration of peace in the area.

The ANP leader said that Nadra office in Safi tehsil should be restored because the local people had been facing difficulties in getting national identity cards in the agency headquarters Ghalanai. He criticised JUI-F and JI for not making any efforts for uplift and progress of the tribal areas.

He also demanded restoration of mobile phone services in the tribal region.

He said that linking suspension of mobile service to incidents of militancy was illogical because many such incidents had also occurred in others parts of the country.

Nisar Mohmand also called for resumption of construction work on Nahqi-Mamad Gat road to facilitate people of the region. He urged the health authorities to ensure availability of vaccines for treatment of people affected by leishmaniasis in Safi tehsil.

“ANP wants merger of the tribal areas with KP so that tribesmen could get rid of the black law of FCR” he said.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2018