LOWER DIR: The residents of Jandol on Saturday took to streets against the exorbitant inflation and increase in prices of daily use items.

The protesters blocked the road for some time at Munda Chowk and chanted slogans against the federal government.

Addressing the protesters, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf local leaders Ubaidur Rehman, Syed Taimur Jan, Mian Mohammad Rasheed and others said that the current government failed to provide relief to people.

They alleged that rulers burdening people for their personal interests. They said that new taxes were being imposed on people in the name of accord with International Monetary Fund.

Ubaid said that fresh elections could steer the country out of the crises. He also demanded of the district administration to take strict action against profiteers and hoarders.

The protesters threatened to hold more rallies against the administration if it failed to check shopkeepers.

Meanwhile, the residents of Bagh Kandai, Gaddar, Adam Dherai, Ramial, Ali Mast and Barorai on Saturday staged a protest demonstration in Chakdara and later addressed a news conference to demand of the district administration to avoid unnecessary demarcation of their lands.

The representatives of the villagers including Ikramullah, Muqarab Khan, Farman Younus and others said they were not ready for the proposed demarcation. They said the land dispute between the residents of those villages and the landowners of Chakdara and Sehsada had been in the courts since 1960.

They said the Land Reforms Commission in 1972 had declared them owners of the cultivable lands while both the parties had been given the rights on the hilly and non-agricultural lands. They alleged the district administration was no more impartial and wanted to declare their agricultural lands uncultivable.

The district administration recently issued notices to the residents of those six villages to vacate the uncultivable lands according to a set formula.

The elders threatened to intensify their protest if the administration did not stop the demarcation of their lands.

EXAM: The annual examination of the seminary students under the Rabitatul Madaris Islamia board started here on Saturday. Four examination centres have been set up for boys and 29 for girl students.

Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2023