KHYBER: Tribal elders, civil society members and some religious scholars on Thursday rejected merger of tribal areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and demanded an immediate repeal of 25th Amendment.

Holding black flags, the participants of a jirga also chanted slogans against merger of former Fata with the province.

Speakers on the occasion called for formation of a larger bench of apex court to hear their petition against the merger, which they alleged was imposed upon the people of tribal areas without their consent.

They said that some unseen hands were creating obstacles to formation of a larger bench despite an assurance about its formation before Ramazan in the current year.

They also demanded reactivation of a parliamentary committee by the federal government to initiate a meaningful dialogue about the repeal or otherwise of the merger plan. Calling for holding of a genuine census in the tribal districts, they alleged that the people erstwhile Fata were deprived of their constitutional share in national resources.

The jirga through a unanimous resolution demanded of the federal government to relax cross-border movement for the people of tribal districts and allow them to cross the border through their Computerised National Identity Cards besides providing facilities to tribal traders in conducting smooth bilateral trade with Afghanistan.

The jirga also called for a meaningful dialogue with the militants currently residing in the mountainous regions of tribal belt so that lasting peace could be restored in the militancy-affected areas.

STRIKE: The polio workers posted at Torkham border ended their strike on Thursday after successful negotiations with the authorities.

Assistant Commissioner Irshad Mohmand and local health authorities held negotiations with the protesting polio workers and persuaded them to end their strike by giving them an assurance that the matter regarding increase in their salaries and facilities for night duties would be taken up with donor agencies.

Meanwhile, Pakistani authorities released and deported 122 Afghan nationals on Thursday.

They were arrested few weeks ago under the Foreign Act as they had either overstayed in Pakistan or did not possess legal travel documents.

Police in Torkham also arrested 16 persons for their alleged involvement in theft of batteries from heavy vehicles.

Published in Dawn, December 16th, 2022