MANSEHRA, June 19: MPA from Kohistan, Abdul Sattar Khan, has opposed the creation of Abaseen division and accused the Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti of not taking the people of Kohistan into confidence before making the announcement. The proposed Abaseen division will comprise Kohistan, Battagram and newly created Torghar district.

“The announcement of the chief minister regarding creation of the Abaseen division out of Hazara region has been taken in haste and is aimed at furthering vested interests. If the government is sincere in the creation of another division, it should come to the people of Kohistan first,” said Mr Sattar, while speaking to reporters here on Sunday.

Mr Sattar said during a meeting with the CM in Peshawar the other day he had told Mr Hoti in clear terms that any such step must take into account recommendations of a jirga held in Kohistan and attended by commissioner and DIG Hazara, but he the (CM) chose not to consult the people.

The lawmaker said the government had earlier planned to include the Shangla district into the Abaseen division but when local MPA Fazalullah objected to it the government dropped the idea and made the Kohistan part of the proposed Abaseen division.

“The grand jirga of Kohistan had made it clear that Battagram district should be made the divisional headquarters of the Abaseen division,” said Mr Sattar. He added if Batial, a boundary area between Battagram and Kohistan, was made the divisional headquarters then people of Kohistan could think of being part of the Abaseen division.

“The jirga had also preferred creation of Hazara province over the proposed Abaseen division,” remarked Mr Sattar. He said Kohistan district had vast mineral potential and water resources as compared to the Battagram and Torghar districts.

Meanwhile, former opposition leader in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly and leading figure of Tehrik-i-Subah Hazara, Shahzada Gustasap Khan, has said the provincial government was attempting to sabotage Hazara province movement by declaring the Abaseen division.

“We are the strong pleaders and supporters of the creation of more tehsils, districts, divisions and provinces in the county to devolve the powers to the people but the creation of Abaseen division is aimed to divide the people of Hazara”, said Mr Gustasap, while speaking to media men on Sunday.He insisted: “If Hazara can be divided into two divisions, then why not the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa into two provinces”.

He said the people of Shangla had refused to be the part of the proposed division. He said Rs200 million developmental package could not address the centuries-old deprivations of the people of the Battagram.