LANDI KOTAL, Oct 2: The Home and Tribal Department has sanctioned the creation of two new sub-tehsils in Khyber Agency. The move was recommended by the political administration of the area.

The two newly-created sub-tehsils of Bazar Zakhakhel and Maidan Tirah will function under Landi Kotal and Jamrud sub-divisions respectively. Bazar Zakhakhel has been connected recently to Landi Kotal through a 35km road while another road from Bazar to Maidan Tirah is under construction.

An official of the department told Dawn that the sub-tehsils were formed to improve the law and order situation in the area and to check infiltration of criminals from the inaccessible areas to the settled districts.

Recently, many hard-core criminals took refuge in the Tirah valley after a clean-up operation conducted by the administration with the help of Peshawar police in Bara sub-division of Khyber Agency.

A source at the office of Khyber Agency political agent said many Afghan refugees had crossed back into Pakistan through unfrequented routs in the Bazar Zakhakhel area. Appointment of a deputy tehsildar and permanent khasadar force would help check the influx of Afghan refugees through these areas, he commented.  

He said that though the government had initiated a number of uplift schemes in the area, it was difficult for political authorities in Landi Kotal and Jamrud to monitor these projects of the far flung areas. Now after the creation of these sub-tehsils, residents of these areas would have easy access to the government officials, he added and told Dawn: “It was a long-standing demand of the residents of Bazar and Maidan”.