MANSEHRA: The residents of Kolai, Batera and Dara Madakhel areas in Kolai-Palas district on Friday blocked the Karakoram Highway to traffic for around two hours in Glozeband area of Lower Kohistan district demanding the status of the district headquarters for Batara.

“As our deadline about the blockade of Karakoram Highway for an indefinite period is going to end after two days, we ask the government to realise the sensitivity of the situation and de-notify Palas as the district headquarters for Kolai-Palas district,” Maulana Naseerullah told protesters.

The protesters had reached KKH from various parts in Kolai-Palas district.

Mr Naseerullah said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government reversed its earlier decision and declared Palas the district headquarters on the pressure of Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervez Elahi.

“This change of decision is unacceptable to us all,” he said.

District police officer Salman Khan allowed the protesters to proceed to their destination after the Lower Kohistan police tried to stop them.

They adopted a resolution seeking the prime minister’s intervention to settle the issue.

The protesters also demanded meetings with the premier and chief minister on the matter. The people travelling between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan remained stranded for hours on the KKH even after the protesters dispersed.

JIRGA SYSTEM: Deputy inspector general of police, Hazara range, Mohammad Ali Babakhel on Friday said his department would not challenge the centuries old jirga system in Torghar district if it didn’t violate the laws.

“The police department is all about ensuring your protection and establishing the writ of the government,” Mr Babakhel told elders and family members of the martyred policemen in Judbah, the district headquarters of Torghar.

The DIG also addressed the police darbar and laid the foundation stone of a memorial to the martyrs.

“If jirgas work in accordance with the laws to settle disputes out of court, we will not oppose them and will rather welcome it,” he said.

Mr Babakhel told the police darbar that the police should change its attitude to win the hearts and minds of the people visiting them for the resolution of problems.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2019