People demand end to motorcycle riding ban in Bajaur

Rights activists, politicians address protest against ban on motorcycle riding in the entire district

PESHAWAR: Rights activists and locals staged a protest against the ban on motorcycle riding in Mamond tehsil of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's Bajaur district on Sunday.

The protest was also attended by workers of Awami National Party  (ANP), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), demanding lifting the ban in the Mamond tehsil.

ANP leader Maulana Khanzeb, JUI-F's Imran Mahir, Fateh Rehman and Haji Noor Khan addressed a public gathering at Inayat Kali Bazaar and demanded that peace should be restored in the entire tribal district and that there should not be any ban on motorcycle and pillion riding in the entire district

They requested the district administration to lift the ban at the earliest to provide relief to the public.

Maulana Khanzeb in his speech criticised the elected representatives from Bajaur for failing to safeguard rights of the local population.

PHOTO: EXPRESS

He also criticised local politicians for taking privileges from the district administration. He said Bajaur youth are aware of their rights and know how to fight to safeguard it.



Imran Mahir said a similar protest was organised last week and will continue until the ban is lifted.

Mamond has remained most volatile tehsil of Bajaur and the district administration had imposed the ban citing deteriorating law and order situation of the tehsil.

PHOTO: EXPRESS

In other development, ANP and PPP organised a Qaumi Jirga in Khar addressed by PPP provincial vice-president and ex-MNA Akhunzada Chitan, JUI-F Bajaur president Senator Abdul Rashid and ANP's Abdul Manan among other politicians from PTI and PML-N.

Chitan in his address criticised the district administration on calling off Levy and Khasadar force officials from private duty with the politicians and said that they have threats due to which their lives are at risk and in case of any attack on them the responsibility will be put on the deputy commissioner.

He said the district administration imposed a ban on bike riding which shows the tehsil is still under a security threat. He also criticised collection of fine on minerals and closing of Pak-Afghan border trade between Kunar and Bajaur at Ghakhi pass.

Senator Rashid termed the entire tehsil as a "land without law", as Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) has been abolished and Interim Government Regulation (IGR) law has also been suspended, adding that the local population was suffering in absence of an alternative law.