K-P Governor forms advisory board

Apex Committee says Levies, Khasadar to stay, work under K-P IGP

PESHAWAR: A three member advisory board has been constituted in order to protect tribal tradition, culture as well as control the damage [post merger of the tribal districts into Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa].

The board constituted by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shah Farman following a notification issued on February 6, will be forwarding recommendations to address concerns of the local community [post-merger of the tribal districts] in K-P.

According to the notification, former Ambassador to Afghanistan Rustam Shah Mohmand, Laiq Shah and Sangi Marjan are members of the board.

The advisory board will be chaired by Umar Khan Afridi.

The notification, a copy  of which is available with The Express Tribune, read that besides different other recommendations, the advisory board will propose a comprehensive dispute resolution mechanism in order to resolve civil and criminal disputes in accordance with the local customs and traditions.

It stated that the advisory board will forward its suggestions on how to respect the aspirations of the people of the erstwhile tribal areas by not imposing a system that will cause more hardship, more agony and adversely affect the security environment.

Meanwhile, the Apex Committee meeting attended by Shah, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and Corps Commander Mazhar Shaheen agreed upon enacting laws in order to bring Levies and Khasadar forces within ambit of the Constitution.

Officials privy to the meeting said that Shah assured members of both forces will perform their duties in future as well, adding that the tribesmen were patriots and the government will respect tribal customs and traditions.

Both the forces, according to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Information Shaukat Yousafzai, will what he meant, act as police force and will fall within jurisdiction of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General Police.

"Both the acts [which will entitle Levies and Khasadar forces to act as police], will be drafted within 10 days," Yousafzai told the media persons.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 8^th, 2019.