KOHAT: Tension has risen between the Sheraki tribe of Darra Adamkhel and the Sheikhan tribe of Kohat tehsil over the ownership of a forest after two members of the latter were arrested while cutting trees in the disputed mountains on Friday.

Malik Javed, an office-bearer of Qabailistan movement, said despite court orders SHO Islamuddin was not registering FIR against the Sheikhan tribesmen or stopping them from illegal cutting of trees, and was allegedly patronising them.

Civil Judge-VI Tariq Khan had restrained both the parties on Feb 10, 2020, from taking any action against each other and asked the police to implement the order. On Feb 20, the court asked the police to convey the order to the parties with a next date of hearing set for March 14.

Mr Javed said the detainees, who were workers of a contractor, Jehangir, whom the Sheikhan tribe had sold the forest for Rs40 million, were identified as Saeed of Hangu and Raqeeb of Khyber district.

He said the Sheikhan tribe was not abiding by the stay granted to the Sheraki tribe by the district and sessions court over their claim of the land according to the revenue record.

The Sheraki tribe has been demanding suspension of illegal cutting of their forest and possession of their illegally occupied 180,000 kanals of land by Sheikhan tribe.

Mr Javed warned that as the administration was turning a deaf ear towards their appeals they might try again to retake their land.

ILLEGAL SALE OF SUPPLEMENTS: The illegal sale of not-for-sale nutrition supplements of government and non-governmental organisations for the malnourished mothers and children has surfaced in the open market in Hangu.

As per reports the food supplements in the shape of chocolates only meant to be available at hospitals and BHUs, were easily available at the medical stores and even at small shops.

An elder, Umer Hayat, said the chocolates were being sold for Rs20 per piece. He said the health department and the local administration had failed to take any action against the elements involved in black marketing of the food supplements.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2020