ANP leader blames govt for post-merger problems in ex-Fata

PESHAWAR: The Awami National Party (ANP) on Tuesday blamed the government’ negligence for the post-merger problems in erstwhile tribal districts.

Speaking at a press conference at the Bacha Khan Markaz, ANP provincial president Aimal Wali Khan said that the government had ignored the merged districts and was not fulfilling the promises made with the people of these districts at the time of merger. He was accompanied by members of the committee constituted for land disputes in merged districts.

Aimal Wali said the ANP-constituted nine-member committee led by the MPA from Mohmand district, which visited the merged districts. He said that Mahsud and Bhittani tribes had land dispute in FR Jandola, adding that the committee had negotiated the issue with the disputing parties and hoped that the issue would be resolved soon.

The extremist elements were regrouping in the merged districts, he claimed, adding that their activities must be controlled or else it could cause uncontrollable damage.

Aimal Wali said that the Taliban were regrouping in South Waziristan, adding that the committee held a peace march in the district. He said that target killings and Taliban’s regrouping in North Waziristan was also a big hurdle to peace in the area.

He claimed that influential people were cutting forests in North Waziristan while the locals were not allowed to get woods from their own forests. He also claimed that the markets constructed by the government were of low standard. He said that coalmines had been illegally occupied and tribes had been deprived of their rights, adding that mines issue in Darra Adamkhel had been resolved but it became a bone of contention between two tribes due to the lack of interest on part of the administration.