Divided opinion: FATA students criticise MNA for abandoning tribal people

Another protest led by MNA Hameedullah against drone strikes, military operation.

PESHAWAR: Differences among the representative student bodies of Khyber Agency were exposed on Friday when one group of students burnt the effigy of former federal minister MNA Hammedullah Jan Afridi, while the other group held a ‘peace march’ headed by the elected representative.

Khyber Students Union (KSU) Central President Muslim Khan Afridi led the protest at Shershah Suri Road accusing Hameedullah Jan of ignoring the tribal people at a time when they are forced to live in camps for internally displaced persons.

Student union presidents from the University of Peshawar, Government Superior Science College and Government Degree College Hayatabad were also present at the protest.

While addressing protesters, the KSU central president said that their elected MNA has failed to highlight the suffering of tribal people in the National Assembly. “He is busy making a fortune for himself in Islamabad, while the people who elected him are languishing in IDP camps,” he said, adding that in his four years Hameedullah Jan only visited the camps twice.



He also condemned the peace march saying that it was sponsored by the MNA to gain public sympathy ahead of the general elections.

Peace March

In the other protest, led by the MNA, students held placards at Qayyum Stadium Chowk and demonstrated against military operations and drone strikes in Fata.

The MNA said they were determined to bring peace and harmony to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and if given the authority they can end lawlessness.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 15^th, 2012.