LANDI KOTAL: The tribal elders, leaders of different political parties and civil society members here on Wednesday demanded of the authorities to award exemplary punishments to dealers of ice drug and safeguard the local youth again the menace.

They were speaking at a jirga convened by the local administration to devise a joint strategy to check the illegal business of ice along with sensitising local youth, especially students, about the hazards attached with the use of ice besides forming a coalition of Zakhakhel, Shinwari and Shalman, the three major tribes of Landi Kotal, for the purpose.

The elders and political leaders in their joint declaration announced social boycott of all those people, who were involved in illegal trading of ice. They also pledged to support efforts of administration to curb the menace of ice.

Malak Razzaq, a Zakhakhel elder, said on the occasion that unemployment and lack of entertainment and sports facilities for local youth were main reasons of ice use among the local population.

He said that undue influence by local elders and other influential people in securing early release of ice peddlers was one of the main reasons of hike in the illegal trade.

Malak Darya Khan, another elder, said that educated youth were their asset and they needed to work collectively to save them from the menace of ice alongside awarding exemplary punishments to its dealers.

Assistant Commissioner Niaz Mohammad urged the participants of the jirga to cooperate with the administration in identification of ice dealers along with locating and busting their hideouts.

He said that administration would show no leniency for ice dealers and strict action would be taken against all those people, who were involved in trade and use of ice.

CAMP: MNA Iqbal Afridi established on Wednesday a camp at Bara Market Chowk to collect donations for construction of Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams.

He appealed to the well to do people of Bara to donate money for construction of the two dams to overcome shortage of water and generate more electricity.

He said that acute shortage of drinking water was one of the biggest issues of the people of Bara. He said that he would take up the matter of constructing Bara dam with the relevant quarters to overcome shortage of water in the area.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2018