No man’s land: DC orders demarcation of Shabqadar border villages

Jalil Khan, leading the jirga of 25 village elders, said negotiations with Charsadda DC Tahir Abbasi were fruitful

SHABQADAR:

The Charsadda DC ordered fresh demarcation of 25 villages on Shabqadar and Mohmand Agency’s border during a meeting with elders in Charsadda. The deputy commissioner called for the meeting after elders of these villages refused to let Charsadda polio teams inoculate their children. The refusal was a show of protest against the lack of clarity as to which administration is responsible for providing facilities to these villages.

The DC assured the delegation, their grievances over the lack of development work, would also be addressed by the district administration. Jalil Khan, who was leading the jirga of 25 village elders, told The Express Tribune negotiations with Charsadda DC Tahir Abbasi were fruitful.

He said the official was informed the area was made part of Charsadda in 1998 after police and paramilitary carried out an operation. He said ever since, the government constructed just two police stations in the area and was only now sending polio teams for vaccination. He pointed out 42 schools, health institutes and other government installations were still paid for by the Mohmand political administration. However, the latter stopped all development work in the area after 1998.

According to Jalil, the Mohmand administration handed over responsibility to the Charsadda district authorities, but the latter was hesitant to take the responsibility of paying salaries and undertaking development works.

Jalil pointed out the Mohmand political administration applied the Collective Responsibility clause of the Frontier Crimes Regulation if a violation was committed. However, the authority washed its hands clean of development works.

He added villagers raised their voices on every platform, but received no justice from either side. The only option left, shared Jalil, was to refuse polio drops to get the attention of the country so their concerns are conveyed.  He said the DC, after hearing the people’s grievances, ordered revenue staff to arrange for a demarcation within a week and summoned another meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 13^th, 2016.