LOWER DIR: The Timergara District Bar Association on Friday demanded the creation of a new administrative division comprising Bajaur, Lower and Upper Dir and Lower and Upper Chitral districts with Timergara as its headquarters.

The demand was made during a meeting of the association’s general body with its president, Mohammad Tariq, in the chair.

The speakers said Malakand comprising 10 districts had a population of over nine million, which was even more than the total population of Mardan and Kohat divisions i.e. eight million.

The participants unanimously passed a resolution demanding of the provincial government to take necessary steps to create a new division comprising Bajaur, Lower and Upper Dir and Lower and Upper Chitral districts.

GOVT FLAYED: Jamaat-i-Islami district general secretary Yaqubur Rehman on Friday flayed the federal government over its “failure” to control prices of essential goods and devaluation of Pakistani currency.

Mr Rehman told reporters in Timergara here that both PDM and PTI had ruined the country through their incompetence and corruption.

He said the PDM government should admit its inability to manage the economy and other affairs before announcing fresh elections in the country.

The JI leader said the people were struggling to make ends meet as the prices of essential commodities had gone beyond their purchasing power.

He said the rising inflation had exposed the incapability of the federal government’s financial team.

Mr Rehman said both PDM and PTI weren’t sincere about resolving people’s problems, so they should be rejected in upcoming general elections.

DC TRANSFER: The civil society members, political leaders, representatives of local government and lawyers on Friday held separate protest rallies against the transfer of deputy commissioner Mohammad Zubair Khan Niazi.

The protesters gathered outside the Timergara Press Club, shouted slogans in favour of Mr Niazi and demanded the withdrawal of orders for his transfer.

Former minister Mahmood Zeb Khan, Balambat tehsil chairman Asim Shuiab, Khall tehsil chairman Ashfaqur Rahim and other speakers said DC Niazi had established the writ of the government in the district, resolved old land disputes and got occupied land vacated to the relief of the people but was transferred despite good performance.

They threatened shutter-down and wheel-jam strikes over the transfer.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2023