LAKKI MARWAT: Marwat Qaumi Jirga has asked the divisional administration to start development projects in the backward Lakki Marwat district and bring improvement in the health, education, water supply and other sectors.

The jirga members, including MPA Anwar Hayat, former federal secretary Akhtar Munir, Mohammad Aslam Khan, engineer Amir Nawaz and others, met commissioner Shaukat Ali Yousafzai in his office in Bannu on Tuesday. Deputy commissioner Abdul Haseeb was also present.

The elders apprised the authorities of divisional and district administration of the problems being faced by the people and stressed the need for improving road infrastructure, drinking water supply and healthcare facilities.

They also called for taking measures to controlling unemployment and alleviating poverty. An elder said that the jirga had played a pivotal role to maintain peace and harmony when militancy was at its peak in the region. They also talked about the people’s reservations about the proposal of renaming Lakki Marwat district.

“The residents are not in favour of renaming the district and they have rejected the proposal,” they said.

The commissioner said that the Marwat elders had always worked jointly with security forces and law-enforcement agencies to curb terrorism and bring sustainable peace to the region.

He said that efforts would be made to improve liaison between the administration and Marwat Qaumi Jirga so as to achieve the goals of sustainable development.

Mr Yousafzai assured the elders that people’s reservations about renaming of thedistrict would be taken up with quarters concerned of the provincial government.

KILLED: A man was killed in Tarikhel village in the limits of Tajori police station here on Tuesday.

Police said that Sanaullah was sitting near a mosque in the village when Adnan allegedly opened fire on him, leaving him injured. He succumbed to his injuries in a local hospital.

The police later arrested Adnan and seized from him a pistol allegedly used in the incident.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2020