BAJAUR: Prime Minister Imran Khan will visit Bajaur tribal district on Monday (today) to inaugurate various development projects, senior officials of the district administration said here on Sunday.

They said that the prime minister will arrive in Khar, the district headquarters, at about 10am by a helicopter. They said that Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, Governor Shah Farman and several federal and provincial ministers would accompany the PM during his visit.

The officials said that Mamad Gat-Khazana (Lower Dir) road project and two sports complexes were among the schemes to be inaugurated on this occasion besides opening of the newly-built 132KV grid station.

Moreover, they said that it was expected that the prime minister would announce a number of other development projects for the region.

According to the schedule, the prime minister will address a delegation of select elders, political and religious leaders and party workers at the Bajaur Scouts headquarters in Khar before inaugurating the Rs7.5 billion Mamad Gat-Khazana road project.

JIRGA MEETING: Elders have asked the district administration to take them on board on issues of public welfare in Bajaur tribal district.

They made the demand during a jirga, attended by elders from across the district, former lawmakers and deputy commissioner Mohammad Fayyaz Khan.

Addressing the meeting, PPP provincial vice-president Syed Akhunzada Chattan, and elders Malik Mohammad Ayaz, Malik Sultan Zeb and others said they had always supported the administration in settlement of issues peacefully.

However, some elders complained that the district administration did not take them on board on issues of public welfare following merger of the tribal districts with the province. They urged the officials to benefit from their experience by taking them on board on issues, especially law and order.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2020