KHYBER: The protesting Kukikhel tribesmen blocked the main road leading to Torkham border on Wednesday to press the government for acceptance of their longstanding demand of an immediate return of all the remaining displaced families to Tirah valley.

With their protest sit-in entering the 20th day, the protesters shifted their camp from Bab-i-Khyber to Bhagiyaree checkpost where they blocked the main road, suspending traffic.

A delegation of Kukikhel elders led by MNA Iqbal Afridi also met Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur in Peshawar. However, the meeting could not bear any result as the chief minister reportedly expressed his inability to announce any relief for the returning IDPs, only assuring that he could convey their message to the higher authorities in Islamabad.

Samiullah Kukikhel, a member of the delegation, told reporters in Jamrud that the CM explicitly expressed his inability to extend any help to them with regard to an early announcement for the return of remaining IDPs.

“The CM told us that he was helpless and could not do anything as he only have the right over his wrist watch, mobile phone and waistcoat,” Samiullah said, adding the road blockade would continue till the acceptance of their demand.

The daylong road closure also suspended trade with Afghanistan via the Torkham border, besides troubling the residents of Landi Kotal.

Many Landi Kotal residents resented the road closure as they argued the Kukikhel themselves were allowed to go to Peshawar and come back but movement of other residents was restricted.

Most of the Afghanistan-bound goods vehicles either returned to Peshawar from Takhtabeg checkpost or suspended their journey halfway due to the road closure.

MOU SIGNED: The Khyber police on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a group of private schools to provide free admissions and concessional education to the children of the martyred policemen.

The MoU was signed at the Police Training Centre in Shah Kas. District police officer Mazhar Iqbal and principals of the respective schools along with some children of the martyred policemen were also in attendance. The police and the private schools would work jointly for welfare of the orphaned children.

Speaking on the occasion, DPO Iqbal said practical steps were being taken to provide free and quality education to the children of the martyred policemen.

He said the police department would utilise all its resources to enroll the orphaned children in quality educational institutions along with enrolling the children of the martyred Khasadars.

Heads of the private educational institutions lauded the sacrifices of the Khyber police in fight against terrorists.

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2024