SHANGLA: The committee of youth from six districts of Malakand and Hazara divisions has opposed the proposal of some lawmakers to include Buner and Chitral in the proposed new zone for job allocation by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Service Commission.

Creating a new zone for job allocation has been the longstanding demand of the six districts, including Shangla, Battagram, Torghar, Kohistan Upper, Kohistan Lower and Kolai Palas.

The committee members told mediapersons in Bisham here on Wednesday that after two years of wait the provincial cabinet discussed the matter on Tuesdaywhere two MPAs Wazir Zada from Chitral and Riaz Khan from Buner insisted to also include their districts in the proposed zone.

They said that provincial minister Taj Mohammad Khan, who hails from Battagram, opposed the idea, saying the demand for the new zone was made to give relief in getting jobs for the six districts in the Public Service Commission because there were over 13 districts in zone-3 (the current zone).

New zone for six districts under consideration

Wakeel Khan, an active member of the committee from Shangla, said they had started the movement for new zone about six years ago, but now the MPAs from other districts were insisting on inclusion of their areas also.

Kashif Khan from Battagram said they would not have demanded new zone if there were universities and colleges in their district to get quality education and compete with the candidates of Peshawar, Abbottabad and other developed districts.

Imran Yousafzai, an activist from Torghar, said they would never accept the proposal for inclusion of Buner and Chitral in the new zone. They said the government should approve the new zone so that graduates of the backward districts could get jobs through the Public Service Commission.

TAILORS’ CHARGES: Assistant commissioner, Bisham, Khuram Rehman fixed the rates for sewing suits here on Wednesday.

He held a meeting with the tailors of Bisham tehsil at his office and fixed the sewing rates at Rs550 per suit of male large size, Rs350 middle size and Rs250 per suit for children. Earlier, he had received complaints about overcharging by the tailors.

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2021