TIMERGARA, June 10: The terrorists were given a free hand by the previous government of Mutahidda Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) but Awami National Party-led provincial government forced them to flee, said Senator Afrasiab Khattak.

Addressing a party meeting at Hajiabad here on Sunday, he said that Pakhtuns were in trouble since they were pitted by the United States against the former USSR.

Provincial Minister for Livestock Haji Hidayatullah, Senator Zahid Khan, ANP district president Hussain Shah Yousafzai, central vice president Zahir Shah Khan and Mohammad Ayub Khan also addressed the meeting.

Mr Khattak said that MMA government had given full freedom to terrorists in the province while ANP government launched massive campaign against them.

“That’s why we lost hundreds of devoted workers in the ongoing war against terrorism,” he said, adding that despite strong opposition from the US and western world the government implemented Sharia Nizam-i-Adl Regulation in Malakand division.

On behalf of provincial government, he announced Rs20 million for gas supply project and Rs16 million for water supply scheme in Hajiabad Koto.

Senator Zahid Khan said that he would construct a bridge on the Panjkora River at Hajiabad and provide two 50KV power transformers to the village. He said that chief minister had approved Rs40 million for reconstruction of Koto Road but theproject was delayed owing to infighting of local PPP lawmakers.

More than 300 workers of Jamaat-i-Islami and Pakistan People’s Party including Malik Gul Hakim Khan, Malik Naeem Khan, Abdullah Abid, Haji Hafeezul Haq and Mohammad Ayaz joined ANP on the occasion.

TEACHERS: Tanzeem-i-Asateza, an organisation of teachers, on Sunday threatened to resist the move if government forced women teachers in the district to perform duty during polio campaigns.

A meeting of the executive council of the organisation held here with its president Sahibzada Sadiq Jan in the chair was informed that district administration had directed education authorities to depute women teachers during anti-polio drives.

The meeting demanded of the administration to withdraw its decision or allow male relatives of the women teachers to accompany them during the drives.

Also, senior school teachers (SSTs) rejected the timescale formula recently approved by provincial government. They threatened to stage a sit-in outside the provincial assembly on June 14.