MANSEHRA, Jan 9: District Nazim Mohammad Azam Khan Swati, who is contesting for the senate seat as Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal nominee from Mansehra, is likely to resign from his present post on Jan 15.

Swati spoke at length to the local MPAs and officials of different departments about his achievements during the last 15 months at the new circuit house here on Wednesday.

Qari Fiyazur Rehman Alvi, MMA MNA from Peshawar, MMA MPA Shujah Salim Khan, independent MPA Mazhar Qasim, PPP (Sherpao) MPA Ms Riffat Akbar Swati and Hazara University vice-chancellor Dr Mohammad Daud Awan were among those who attended the meeting.

After enumerating his “achievements for the uplift of the area during the last 15 months”, Swati, however, said Mansehra was still a backward area.

Claiming that Mansehra contributed 75 per cent to Tarbela lake and was the biggest water-source, he urged the elected members to raise their voice in the assemblies for getting 25 per cent share of the income from Tarbela Dam for the uplift of Mansehra district.

Referring to deforestation, Swati said it was not only causing environmental problems but had also become a source of heavy silting in the rivers and dams.

He opined that provision of natural gas to the people of far-flung areas of the district could put a check on deforestation.