KHYBER: Agricultural activities are gaining gradual momentum in upper parts of Bara and Tirah as hundreds of farmers belonging to recently returned families have received the much-needed assistance from USAID’s Economic Recovery and Development Activity (ERDA) and Islamic Relief Pakistan (IRP).

Sources in Bara told this scribe that ERDA and IRP distributed quality wheat seed, fertilisers and agricultural tools among 1,800 farmers to immediately catch up for the loss of time in wheat crop cultivation.

Farmers from Kukikhel, Kamarkhel, Malakdinkhel and Qambarkhel tribes in parts of Tirah valley and Sipah families in upper Bara were handed over the much-needed items on two separate occasions.

Farmers of the recently returned families had been demanding provision of quality seeds and fertilisers to revive agricultural activities soon after their repatriation in June as they had little or no sources of livelihood in their respective areas while the cultivable lands in the region became mostly barren due to absence of the local population for over a decade.

ERDA and IRP extend support to tribal farmers

The entire Tirah valley and large swaths of cultivable land on both sides of the Bara River in upper Bara were infamous for poppy cultivation prior to the displacement of locals owing to militancy. They now want to do away with the illegal crop while switching over to wheat, maize, different types of vegetables and fruit orchards.

Qazi Waris, a Sipah elder, said that assistance with local farmers would dissociate them from reverting back to poppy cultivation.

Haji Shiekh Gul, president of Sipah Khidmat Khalq Committee, said on the occasion that hundreds of acres of barren land in upper Bara required urgent attention of authorities.

The committee had been instrumental in highlighting the problems of displaced families. The committee held several meetings with Peshawar commissioner, district administration and officials of agriculture department along with representatives of IRP to convince them to help the local farmers.

Meanwhile, Customs and Frontier Corps personnel foiled an attempt to smuggle foreign fabric from Afghanistan to Pakistan via Torkham border on Sunday.

Officials said that foreign fabric weighing 3,575 kilogram and valuing about Rs11 million was concealed in secret cavities of a coal truck coming from Afghanistan. The driver of the vehicle was arrested.

PROTEST: The members of Landi Kotal Press Club held a demonstration against manhandling of journalists by PTI workers in Orakzai and Bajaur.

Holding placards, protesters demanded legal action against the PTI workers for manhandling journalists.

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2022