KARAK: At least 15,000 volunteers have registered their names with the organisers of the proposed protest announced by a jirga, a forum of lawmakers from Kohat division, to stop transportation of crude oil from the division to other parts of the country over denial of rights to the oil-producing region.

Talking to reporters here on Monday, the jirga chairman MPA Mian Nisar Gul Kakakhel said tough time would be given to the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf provincial government and the oil and gas exploration companies working in the division for failing to ensure rights to the oil and gas producing areas.

He added that the government failed to realise its word made with the Jirga during negotiations on January 15 and insisted that now they had shut the doors of negotiations.

While unveiling their line of action, he claimed that the people of Hangu would forcibly stop the transportation of oil and gas from fields in their district and likewise the people of Kohat and Karak would stop the transportation of oil and gas from the oil fields in their respective districts.

The jirga chairman claimed the number of volunteers would increase in the ongoing week and would reach 20,000.

Mr Kakakhel claimed that masks and hand sanitisers would be provided to the volunteers.

Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2020