Addressing a jirga in Ghallanai, Mohmand Agency, Sultan said Khwazai and Baizai tribes living on both sides of the border have been participating in each other’s weddings and funerals for years. However, the border had to be closed due to security concerns, limiting their mobility and also affecting local trade and economy, he added.

Sultan urged Peshawar Commissioner Sahibzada Muhammad Anis, who was in Mohmand Agency on a visit and also attended the jirga, to reopen the border for locals.

Malik Subidar Safi, an elder of the Safi tribe, said the famous Ziarat mine has been closed down by the political administration for the past two weeks, due to which thousands of labourers are unemployed in the area. He demanded Frontier Corps (FC) and levies personnel guarding the mines be called back so the people can resume work.

Pandiyali elder Malik Sayed Mahmood Jan complained the government had paid financial compensation to those affected by militancy in Bajaur and other agencies. However, no compensation has been paid to the people of Mohmand Agency, he said.

In response to these statements, Peshawar Commissioner Anis said he had spoken to the FC Commandant and if the security situation improves, the border would be reopened not just for locals, but also for international trade.

The commissioner said he would also inquire from the Communication and Works Department, Ghallanai why repair work on the Ekka Ghund to Ghallanai Road has not yet been completed. The route has been in ruins due to heavy traffic passing over it with little maintenance.

Regarding reopening the Ziarat marble mine, Anis said he would discuss the issue with concerned officials. He added a survey would soon be conducted of the houses damaged by militancy-related incidents, while mobile phone and landline facilities would be provided to Ambar and Pandyali tehsils of the agency.

Earlier, Anis was briefed on the security situation in Mohmand Agency and along the Pak-Afghan border. He later visited Baizai sub-division’s headquarters where he inaugurated the newly constructed sub-divisional offices.

The Pak-Afghan border running through Mohmand Agency has been a major trade route in the past. However, it was closed in 2012 after a cross-border attack on a Pakistani check post and repeated attacks on trade caravans plying the route.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 19^th, 2013.

The glossy adverts are meant to convince parents to enrol their children in private schools because of their extraordinary results. However, many in the education sector believe the glitter is far from gold.

Advocate Irshad Khan, a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader is suspicious of the tall claims. He questions how a student can obtain 1,000 marks out of a total of 1,050. “The cheating culture is so prevalent in our education system; these students get high marks in board exams, but they fail in entry tests organised by proper testing authorities.”

Irshad claimed the immoral practice had ruined the entire academic system. “It is because of negligence on part of government school teachers. Instead of performing their actual duties, they prefer election, invigilation and polio duties,” he alleged.

The PTI leader also alleged private schools had taken the shape of a mafia and paid bribes to ensure good results. “They spend huge amounts of money during exams to ensure enrolled students get good grades.”

He claimed the schools have connections with the education board’s administration which is why the latter does not take any action against them even if they are found violating court orders regarding the sibling policy which makes it mandatory for schools to charge half the fees for siblings of a student.

“There is a certain mafia of school teachers who always invigilate in some private schools,” said Irshad, implying teachers also take bribes to help students cheat.

The owner of a private school, Hazrat Shah Paracha claimed a teacher invigilating in his school had taken Rs30,000 as bribe from a student during a practical exam. “I am trying to submit an application to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) regarding this [but] I’m afraid the teacher may go unpunished as he has connections in the Peshawar board,” said Paracha.

Talha, a private school student who secured over 900 marks in the SSC exams, said all education boards in the province are competing to have the highest scoring students from their jurisdiction. “After the creation of several boards, the ratio of passing marks keeps increasing. Every board’s official wants his own area to benefit,” he said.

Imdad Ali Shah, a public school teacher, said the reason government school students did not get good marks, is that a majority of them cannot afford to pay visiting invigilators.

“When I was on exam duty in a government school, I made no money. However, a friend of mine served at a private school and made Rs70,000. Both the administration and the students’ parents paid him,” claimed Imdad.

Yasir Khan, a student of a government college, said when he appeared for exams at a public school, cheating was not permitted. But when he went with his younger brother the next year, he found out that by paying Rs500 to the school’s administration, his brother was allowed to cheat in the paper.

In the recently held Peshawar Board’s SSC exams, only a female student – Khushbu Innayat from Government Girls High School Mian Gujjar – succeeded in getting third position in the arts group. The rest of the top twenty positions were clinched by private school students.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 18^th, 2013.

SHABQADAR: Rising water levels of Swat and Kabul rivers are affecting many areas of Charsadda district, with people living on the river banks evacuating their homes and shifting to safer locations.

Shabaqadar tehsil was among the worst affected places during the 2010 floods when two of its main bridges were washed away by Swat River. Since those bridges are still under construction, locals have created makeshift wooden bridges to cross the river.

Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) officials and elected representatives also visited the areas along the river banks. Provincial senior minister Sikandar Sherpao, Minister for Local Government Inayatullah and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MPA Akbar Hayat Khan are among those who visited the areas and instructed officials to look after flood affectees.

Water level in Tapo Sardar Korana and Bella Mohmandan areas, situated along the Kabul River in Peshawar, increases every year as a result of weather changes. Similarly, Mian Kali Rashakai, Haji Zai Jamat and Ghulambak areas – which lie on the banks of Kabul River in Charsadda – are also affected by flood in the summer season each year.

Residents of Hastanagar, another area terribly affected by the flooding of Swat River in 2010, fled to safer areas as soon as they heard the news of a possible flood.

Irfanullah, a local journalist, said the two rivers will cause massive destruction. He was of the opinion the government should take immediate steps to safeguard the people residing in the flood’s path.

Advocate Muhammad Jan Gigyani, provincial joint secretary of Qaumi Watan Party, claimed influential people who own lands in Peshawar divert Kabul River’s flood water to Shabqadar by constructing safety walls.

“In the past, water from Kabul River flowing near Naguman, Peshawar has been diverted to Hajizai, Shabqadar which was already affected by the flood in Swat River,” he said.

Gigyani said the Supreme Court of Pakistan had recommended the Munda Dam be constructed immediately.

“The suggestion should be taken seriously as the dam would not only save Charsadda from further floods, it would generate 750 megawatts of electricity and also irrigate swathes of land in the district along with solving the water problem in Mohmand Agency,” Gigyani urged.

He alleged the project has been delayed unnecessarily by the federal government, saying work on it should start as soon as possible.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 15^th, 2013.

Fata lawmaker Shahji Gul Afridi told The Express Tribune six independent MNAs had formed a group in the National Assembly with GG Jamal Orakzai appointed as their parliamentary leader. On the other hand, Abbas Afridi will lead independent senators in the Senate of Pakistan.

Afridi added Fata lawmakers held a meeting in Islamabad on Monday night wherein they demanded the tribal belt be given representation in the federal cabinet.

The meeting, which was attended by both independent and party-affiliated lawmakers, also expressed its concern over K-P cabinet slots that were used for Hazara representation even though the latter was seeking to secede. “This is a crucial time for K-P and Fata,” maintained Afridi. “If Fata is not given representation in the federal cabinet, it will affect peace in the region. I think the present government is ignoring the Pukhtuns.”

On the other hand, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA from Bajaur, Shahabuddin Khan said he was offered a slot in the federal government, but refused due to his health.

“Fata and K-P will never be ignored at such a critical time,” added the MNA. He also criticised the Pukhtuns for consistently opposing main stream political parties by arguing they voted for the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal in the past and did not vote for the PML-N in the 2013 polls. “This is the reason they are suffering without any representation in the federal cabinet.”

In the current federal cabinet, K-P has one federal minister, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, from the Hazara region.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) reserved MNA Aisha Gulalai Wazir from Fata also criticised the federal government by claiming the latter was ignoring southern Punjab in addition to K-P and Fata. “By not giving these regions representation in the cabinet, the federal government is causing a sense of deprivation in these areas,” she explained.

“This is the case in Fata and K-P especially, where the prevailing law and order condition requires the government to take initiative and accommodate them in the cabinet.”

Fata has eight senators and 12 MNAs, out of which six are independents. In the previous government, the tribal belt had its own parliamentary leader along with two ministries. The government consulted the region in all parliamentary matters, with the tribal regions also having representation in the 18th Amendment Committee.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 14^th, 2013.

SHABQADAR: Aisha Gulalai from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) has become the youngest member of national assembly (MNA) to be nominated on a reserved seat for women.

Before her, the late Mehrunnisa Afridi of the Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) and Hajra Tariq Aziz of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) were also nominated from the tribal regions on reserved seats. However, neither Afridi nor Aziz were as vocal as Gulalai. Nor did they have the strong social background and experience of national and international forums that Gulalai can boast of.

Gulalai started her career as a human rights activist from South Waziristan. PPPP was inclined to give her a party ticket in the 2008 elections, but she could not compete due to the age stipulation.

Later, she joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and was nominated as a member for the party’s central committee. Gulalai then contested for a seat reserved for women on a PTI ticket in the 2013 elections.

Like Dr Shireen Mazari, she is also a critic of drone strikes as she herself hails from South Waziristan – a region regularly bombed by unmanned predators. She is also among those human rights activists who condemned the attack on Malala Yousafzai, terming it an assault on the freedom of women.

When asked about her nomination for an MNA seat, Gulalai thanked party chief Imran Khan and the PTI. Gulalai also lauded Badam Zari, a woman who made history by contesting the election from NA-44, Bajaur.

Regarding drone attacks, Gulalai said they were the main reason for militancy as each kill resulted in the production of several militants bent on ending the loss of life in the tribal belt.

The MNA also gave her opinion on peace talks with the Taliban by asserting a jirga representing all political parties, tribal elders and the army could negotiate with the militants. “Since the Taliban have offered a peace deal, the federal government should step forward,” said Gulalai, adding she would be happy to lend her services in this regard as she had knowledge of tribal traditions.

Gulalai maintained she would raise the issue of reserved seats for women from Fata in the National Assembly. “Fata has no such quota, and I will raise the issue on the floor of the house as this is discriminatory against women,” she promised.

“Fata should be demarcated as a separate province with its own governor and chief minister,” urged Gulalai while sharing her views on the tribal belt’s designation. She added Fata’s natural resources should be explored and that the PTI had proposed a local body election system which should be implemented in the region.

Gulalai claimed tribal people had a great deal of potential. She cited the example of Maria Toorpakai, a female Pakistani squash star who also hails from South Waziristan. “But we need education on an emergency basis,” stressed Gulalai. “Especially, since people in the tribal areas want to send their women to school. We also need to focus on higher education with more universities.”

Correction: The earlier version of the story incorrectly stated ‘elected’ instead of ‘nominated’. The error is regretted.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2013.

Police said all the suspected terrorists were family members including Qaseerullah, Rohullah, Irfanullah and Asaullah while the woman, Munthazera, was their mother.

“We raided the house following intelligence reports as these terrorists were involved in attacks on Arbab Ayub Jan, ex-minister for agriculture and ANP’s candidate for NA-4, during his election campaign,” said an official of the Chamkani police station, adding the family was active in the area and allegedly involved in many more bomb blasts.

He said a bomb weighing around eight kilogrammes was recovered from the house and they also found a bag containing seven kilogrammes of high-intensity explosives besides ball bearings and other items used in the production of improvised explosive devices.

Police termed the raid a major success, claiming they were searching for the apprehended suspects for the past couple of months.

Police van attacked

Four police officials were injured when an improvised explosive device planted by unidentified militants along a road in Shabqadar tehsil of Charsadda district exploded near a police van on Friday evening.

SHO of Saro Kallay police, Gul Shaid said the police van was on routine patrol at around 7:45pm when a bomb hidden inside a heap of garbage exploded in Pir Qilla area, destroying the vehicle and injuring four police personnel.

The SHO added heavy contingents of police rushed to the site following the incident and launched a search operation while the injured were rushed to the tehsil hospital in Shabqadar. After being administered with first aid, the injured – identified as Amjid, Ihsanullah, Zubair Khan and Khadim – were shifted to Lady Reading Hospital.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2013.

SHABQADAR: Pakistan spends seven times more on military expenditure than on education, according to a 2012 Unesco report. It ranks 113 out of 120 countries in the Education Development Index.

It then comes as no surprise rural areas get the short end of the stick. Basic provisions such as rooms to sit in, clean water to drink and running water in toilets are not a given; students do not expect these luxuries.

An official in the education department in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa estimates around 15% of the population of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) is literate. Possibly, less than 5% of females in the tribal belt are educated.

The situation in Fata is further compounded by militancy – schools in Fata remain under constant threat. According to a news report, over 100 schools have been destroyed by militants in Mohmand Agency.

Mohmand Agency is administratively divided into eight subdivisions.

Three of these subdivisions namely, Khwaizai, Baizai and Abmar have no middle or high school for both male and female students. The bleak outcome of having few or no secondary institutions is summed up by an Annual Status of Education Report (Aser) 2012 finding – ‘For every twenty children in class one, only three are in class ten’ in Fata.

The subdivisions which do have schools suffer from a lack of basic facilities.

Around 60 educational institutes have been destroyed in Safi subdivision during militant insurgencies. Over half of the schools in Safi have been closed since June 2008. In 2011, the education department announced these schools had been reopened; however, it was only on paper.

Requesting anonymity, a high school teacher from Safi told The Express Tribune he had been receiving his salary regularly since the school ‘reopened.’

Schools in Qandhari and Gurbaz (areas in Safi) are not functioning, even if they are open, he shares. Teachers from Qandhari have been reposted to other schools but in Gurbaz, schools remain closed and teaching staff remain absent out of fear – Gurbaz is an area with the highest number of schools destroyed.

Hasan Khan, a resident of Qandharo, Safi says children have to go to a school in Haleemzai tehsil. Hasan did not leave his area for safer grounds, even in the midst of militancy. However, Hasan now wants to relocate for the sake of his children’s education.

The school in Haleemzai is in a dilapidated state. Malik Rashid Khan of Kadi Ghalanai told The Express Tribune the school was established in 1962 and upgraded to a middle school in 1972.

“It has not been repaired since because one needs to bribe government officials or have strong political support for getting repairs done,” claims Rashid.

Officials from the education department visited the school and promised to repair it but the promise was yet to be fulfilled, he shares.

M Nazir, a teacher at this school, originally hails from Mardan and has been residing in the school’s office building. He complains of lack of basic facilities like electricity, clean drinking water, security, etc.

Students go to a nearby seminary to get water while lack of electricity in the summer was another problem for them, complains Nazir.

Tariq Khan, a student of class eight confirms this; they go to the seminary daily to fetch water for the teacher. Students have no such ‘perks’.

Grade-six student Abdullah says he comes to school on foot from Halki Gandao which is around four kilometres away. “When I get to school there is no water to drink, no fans to make it less hot.”

Summer holidays start from mid-June and end in August, however many students of the schools have already gone on leave due to lack of facilities as temperatures start to rise.

When contacted, officials in Mohmand maintained 24 out of 113 destroyed schools in the agency are undergoing re-construction.

FATA Education Department estimates over 600 schools have been destroyed in Fata by militants. The government is working towards rebuilding them with the help of the United Arab Emirates.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 24^th, 2013.

In the past, members of Parliament from Fata formed their own group in a bid to fulfil their demands. During the last government, they formed their own parliamentary group led by Munir Orakzai comprising ministers, parliamentary secretaries and chairmen of standing committees.

Other members of the group included K-P Governor Shaukatullah, Hamidullah Jan Afridi and Senator Abbas Afridi.

After the extension of the Political Parties Act to the tribal areas, candidates of PML-N, JUI-F and PTI also emerged successful in the general elections. NA-42 was won by JUI-F backed Jamal Mehsud, NA-44 by PML-N’s Shahabuddin, while NA-47 by PTI’s Jamal Nasir. However, elections in some areas of Kurram, North Waziristan and Khyber agencies were postponed or their results were put on hold over rigging allegations.

Of the six victorious independents, the candidate from NA-39 North Waziristan joined PML-N after he was not convinced by the independent group. The rest include experienced candidates former federal minister GG Jamal and ex-MNA Bilal Rehman, while Governor Shaukatullah Khan’s father Haji Bismillah Khan, Jawad Hussain Tori and Al Hajj Shah Jee Gul Afridi have no parliamentary experience.

These candidates held a meeting with PML-N leader in Islamabad where they were invited to join the party. However, they were still weighing their options and are expected to respond today.

Afridi, a candidate from Khyber Agency, told The Express Tribune they had agreed in principle not to join PML-N and are intending to remain independent. “We are waiting for the results of two Fata constituencies and if they are announced then our group will have more power to pressurise the government on any decisions regarding the tribal belt,” he added.

Senator Rehman, brother of Bilal Rehman who succeeded for the second term from Mohmand, also supported the formation of the group to secure funds and other benefits from the government. “Our status will weaken if we decide to join any party; we will be bound to obey specific party rules and regulations,” he added.

He claimed one of the members joined hands with PML-N because he has no know-how. “Some of the new elected members don’t realise the chronic issues of this war-torn region.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 18^th, 2013.

The candidates who have won from Fata include Haji Bismillah Khan from NA-43, father of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shaukatullah Khan, and former MNA from Mohmand Agency Bilal Rehman. Both have been accused of rigging in the polls with the help of the local political administration.

A source told The Express Tribune the group met Shaukatullah at the Governor House on Tuesday and a meeting was also scheduled in Islamabad at 9pm on the same day to decide on a strategy.

When contacted, Shahid Gul Afridi, winning candidate from NA-45 Khyber Agency, confirmed a group will be formed, adding a representative of the group would talk to political parties on behalf of all the members.

When asked if the candidates would join any party, Afridi said they will announce their affiliations after the meeting. “All winners from Fata including Bismillah Khan, Bilal Rehman, GG Jamal Orakzai, Nazeer Khan and Sajid Tori will first deliberate on making their own group and then decide if they want to join a party or remain independent,” he added.

On previous occasions, the formation of any such parliamentary groups of Fata lawmakers have not been fruitful in bringing change in the war-affected region.

According to a political observer, in the past such groups have only worked to fulfill their own personal interests and have become ministers, parliamentary secretaries or chairpersons of standing committees.

Fata has 12 NA seats; elections could only be held in 11 constituencies and were postponed in one because of dismal law and order.

Out of the eleven NA seats polled in Fata, NA-44 has been won by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), NA-47 by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), while Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has been successful in NA-42. Independent candidates have remained successful in the remaining Fata constituencies indicating that political parties have failed to gain footing in the tribal area.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 15^th, 2013.

SHABQADAR: Hundreds marched from lower subdivision Ekka Ghund to Ghallanai upper subdivision led by 20 candidates who had lost the general elections from NA-36 Mohmand Agency.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Zarkhan Safi, Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) Muhammad Saeed Khan, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf dissident Rahem Shah, and independents Nisar Mohmand and Shahsawar Khan were some of the candidates present.

Once the protest reached Ghallanai, candidates addressed the crowd. According to Nisar Mohmand, 80 of his voters who were arrested by members of the Aman Lashkar, their vehicles impounded, are still missing.

He further alleged a large number of voters were jailed, while thousands were not allowed to vote in Dawizai. According to Nisar, ‘angels’ came and voted in the women’s polling station for one candidate only.

Once again the establishment wants to promote a ‘deaf’ candidate who cannot stand up for the tribals, claimed Muhammad Saeed Khan of the JI. Which is why, he alleged, the establishment rigged elections for former MNA Bilal Rehman.

The JI candidate maintained Malik Khushal was killed on Election Day for supporting another candidate and the political administration failed to protect him or bring his killers to justice.

Polling started late in the afternoon in Ekka Ghund, Safi and Ambar, was halted midway and voters sent back home. Khushal added their votes were cast by the polling staff, and some votes were added the day after elections.

Raheem Shah and Shahsawar informed the audience a legal team has been put together which will file an appeal with the tribunal with videos and other proof in their favour. Daily protests will continue across the agency according to the candidates.

The list of allegations continued and the irate candidates demanded re-elections in the constituency under the army’s watch.

If the CEC did not acquiesce, Governor House will turn into Tahrir Square, promised the candidates.

When contacted, Mohmand Agency Political Agent Dr Ambar Khan rejected all allegations and suggested “instead of blocking roads with protests,” candidates much choose the legal way.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2013.