KHAR: The people of Mamond tehsil in Bajaur tribal district on Wednesday demonstrated against the years long ban on motorcycle riding and demanded of the authorities to lift the restriction immediately.

The demonstration was held on the bypass road in Inayat Kallay Bazaar attended by workers of different political and religious parties, shopkeepers and social activists.

The protesters chanted slogans against the district administration for upholding the ban on motorcycle riding in the tehsil.

They said the ban on motorcycle riding was imposed across the district several years ago owing to security reasons.

However, they pointed out that the ban was later lifted in the entire district except Mamond tehsil, some two months ago.

On the occasion, the political and social activists lashed out at the local administration for keeping ban on motorcycle riding only in Mamond tehsil without any solid reason. They described the ban discriminative measure against the people of Mamond.

The speakers said the restriction was clear violation of the right of freedom of movement of the residents.

They said motorcycle ban persisted in Mamond tehsil since 2007, affecting the common man who used motorcycles as means of transportation.

They pointed out that PTI MNA Gul Zafar Khan had claimed three weeks ago to help lift the ban on motorcycle riding, but to no avail.

They asked the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister to take serious notice of the unnecessary ban on motorcycle riding.

SUBSTANDARD SNACKS: The local administration on Wednesday recovered a huge quantity of substandard snacks (chips) and arrested a dealer, an official said.

Talking to reporters, assistant commissioner, Khar subdivision, Arif Khan Yousafzai said the snacks were recovered from a shop in Inayat Kallay Bazaar during a raid conducted by Levies personnel.

He said the raid was conducted following the complaints of local people.

The official said 90 bags of substandard snacks were recovered, adding the accused was later sent to Khar prison.

To a question, he said several teams of Levies personnel had been formed to check the sale of substandard edible items across the district.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2018