DI KHAN:
Journalists from the tribal belt organised a rally on Tuesday that started at the Tank political compound and culminated at Tank press club. The protesters demanded the release of detained journalist Sheryar Mehsud who was earlier arrested by Ladha’s Assistant Political Agent Nasar Khan.
They alleged that Mehsud has been arrested because of highlighting the shortcomings of South Warizistan’s (SWA) political administration and is an attempt to silence their community.
Mehsud has been detained inside the Tank political compound. The compound is home to South Waziristan’s political agent’s office. Although it deals with tribal affairs, the office is located in Tank district, adjacent to SWA.
The journalists condemned the arrest and urged senior government officials to take notice of the activities of the SWA political administration. They demanded the immediate release of Mehsud. Speakers at the protest claimed that the political administration targets journalists every now and then by booking them for false cases under the Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR) and special laws enforced in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).
Fishy matters?
Chief of the Ahmadzai tribe from Wana, Malik Jamil had alleged in a press conference at Peshawar Press Club a few days earlier that SWA Political Agent Islam Zeb is involved in embezzlement of ADP (Annual Development Programme) and GDP (Governor Development Programme) funds. Jamil also claimed Zeb patronises smuggling across the border. Consequently, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Mehtab Abbasi had ordered an enquiry in the matter.
“Governor Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa handed over Rs1 million to the Abbottabad Press Club but did not even bother to meet and address the concerns of journalists from the tribal areas,” Awardin Mehsud, a local journalist told The Express Tribune.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 29th, 2014.
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