Schools in disputed area near Mohmand to be merged with Charsadda

Disputed territory comprises 25 villages, police stations and link roads.

SHABQADAR: Mohmand Agency’s political administration has finalised a plan to include 42 government schools from settled Charsadda District into the agency.

Two basic health units, three water supply schemes and two link roads will also be supervised by the local government of the district.

The political administration of Mohmand told The Express Tribune that the decision was made last week in Ghallanai at a meeting between agency officials and the Charsadda district administration.

Official decided that the territory extends from Michni to Mundahead, but the plan was not finalised due to absence of all stakeholders. Demarcation of areas will be finally decided in a joint meeting of the political administration and district governments of Peshawar and Charsadda.

Tarakzai, Haleemzai and Burhankhel tribes live in the area that is to be merged, while two police stations also fall there. “We are preparing to take charge of educational institutions of the agency. Our office is already running many other institutions in the area,” said Charsadda District Education Officer Attaullah.

Mohmand Agency’s political administration has already stopped the polio vaccination campaign and other development projects in the area. From now onwards the new administration will run such campaigns.

The area has been disputed between Mohmand Agency and the Charsadda administration.  Interestingly, the territory’s administrative and legal affairs were being run under both the Frontier Crimes Regulation and the Pakistan Penal Code.  The disputed territory comprises 25 villages.

In 1999, locals launched a Mohmand resistant movement against the police operation to muzzle anti-settlement forces. Inhabitants of Mohmand were not in favour of government attempts to include the area in settled area.