Taking action : Jirga vows to eliminate heroin factories

Mohmand PA says such factories are menace to society

SHABQADAR: A jirga of the Utmankhel tribes has assured the political administration of Mohmand Agency that heroin factories would be eliminated from Prang Ghar.

The meeting was held at Ekka Ghund in the sub-divisional headquarters of lower Mohmand on Tuesday.

The jirga has also sought the political administration’s help for this purpose. It also urged the administration to provide locals with bare essentials such as health, education and electricity.

Malik Badrizaman Khan, Malik Muhammad Gul, Malik Ashraf Khan and Faiz Muhammad were present at the jirga. Attendees said Utmankhel is the only tribe in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas which has not allowed militants on its soil. Many elders have been targeted in bomb blasts and gun attacks for this reason. However, the jirga members claimed the government never recognised their sacrifices and has repeatedly swept their grievances under the carpet. They also said the government has never paid attention to upper parts of Prang Ghar. As a result, farmers started growing poppy and making heroin out of it.

Mohmand Political Agent Waqar Ali Khan assured jirga members that a special grant worth Rs300 million was announced for the Khawazai and Baizai tribes and Rs100 million for Prang Ghar, Pandyali and Ambar. Khan asked elders to clamp down upon heroin factories in their respective areas as drug farmers are a menace to society and would be harshly dealt with. The jirga also demanded a bridge should be constructed on the link road to Khursheed Dam as water levels rise and block the road during heavy rain and floods.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 26^th, 2015.