Areas out of reach: Governor to inaugurate uplift schemes in Bara today

The Governor will also inaugurate a transport route between Bara and Peshawar

PESHAWAR: Business activities will once again thrive in Bara, Khyber Agency as Governor Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan will inaugurate a number of development schemes and facilities in the town on Monday (today).

It will be first ever formal visit of a provincial governor to Bara in many years. Officials within the political administration told The Express Tribune Mehtab will formally inaugurate the Bara municipality. The purpose of establishing a municipality office in Bara is to bring administrative affairs of housing, markets and shops on the right track.

In addition to inaugurating municipal services, the governor will also announce the relocation of the assistant political agent’s office from Shahkas in Jamrud to Bara. Similarly, he will also inaugurate a transport route between Bara and Peshawar. According to officials, the governor’s visit will be vital in reviving business activities and maintaining peace.

Unsafe terrain

Bara, which is situated in Khyber Agency, has been in grip of terrorist activities since 2005. Later, the security situation worsened when Lashkar-e-Islam and Ansarul Islam were pitted against each other.

In September 2009, the government started military operation Daraghlum in the area against militants and forced Lashkar-e-Islam leader Mangal Bagh and his companions to flee the area. But Mangal continued his terrorist activities from Tirah Valley and killed civilians, politicians, tribal elders, personnel of law-enforcement agencies and damaged government installations.

However, in October 2014, the military initiated Operation Khyber-I in the region compelling militants to escape.

 Published in The Express Tribune, January 4^th, 2016.