Lawlessness: Activists, politicians protest ban on bike riding in Mamond

Tehsil remains most volatile of Bajaur district forcing administration to ban motorcycle riding

KHAR: Rights activists in Bajaur, supported by members of political parties of Awami National Party (ANP), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Jamiat Ulema Isalm Fazl (JUI-F) staged a protest against fresh ban on motorbike riding in Mamond tehsil of Bajaur district.

Bajaur ANP leader Maulana Khanzeb, JUI-F ‘s Imran Mahir, Fateh Rehman and Haji Noor khan  addressed the protest gathering at Inayat Kali Bazaar and demanded that since peace has been restored in the entire tribal district and there is no such ban even on pillion riding there, the district administration should lift ban from Mamond also.

Maulana Khanzeb in his speech criticised elected representatives from Bajaur and added that they failed to safeguard rights of the local people and when some youth raised voice against it MNAs became angry over the matter.

Khanzeb also criticised local politicians for taking privileges from district administration and said that although these politicians criticised tribal elders for these privileges, but when DC called off levies and Khasdar officials from private duty these politicians protested as some of them had more than 20 levies and khasdar personnel working in their guesthouses as  servants.

He pointed out that today Bajaur youth were well aware of their due rights and knew how to fight for them .

Imran Mahir said that they had organised a protest last week and would continue till the ban was lifted. He told most of youth are suffering from this ban, and will resist this ban on motorbike riding in Mamond area.

Mamond has remained the most volatile tehsil of Bajaur and district administration has imposed ban on it time and again.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 26^th, 2018.