KARAK: Loya Jirga, a forum of local lawmakers of Kohat division, on Thursday threatened to launch a protest movement from June 15 by blocking supply of gas and crude oil from Kohat division, alleging that the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited and foreign company MOL had turned into exploitative groups.

The jirga held a consultative meeting here at the residence of former MNA Shamsur Rehman Khattak in Makori area of Karak. It was attended by the jirga chairman MPA Nisar Gul Kakakhel, MPA Zafar Azam, MPA Shah Dad Khan, former MNA Maulana Shah Abdul Aziz, former district nazims of Kohat and Karak and other elders.

The speakers alleged that the two companies had been reluctant to give rights of the people. They recalled that on January 15 the head of the government negotiating team Taimur Saleem Jhagra had accepted the charter of demands of the lawmakers, but after about five months not a single demand had been realised.

They said that the government has pushed the opposition lawmakers to the wall by stopping their funds.

They regretted that the oil and gas royalty funds of Kohat division had been halted by the provincial government of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf just to punish the people of southern districts.

They said that the gas and oil transportation from the division would be stopped and the people would forcibly block the exploration activities in Karak, Kohat and Hangu.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2020