MANSEHRA: The Muttahida Kohistan Jirga continued to block the Karakoram Highway for the second conductive day in Kohistan region on Thursday to demand the release of its leader, Maulana Kareemdad, who was arrested under the Maintenance of Public Order the other day.

“We ended the blockade of KKH overnight but have now closed it again until Maulana Kareemdad is freed,” former MPA Maulana Dildar told reporters.

Protesters from Upper and Lower Kohistan and Kolai-Palas regrouped at RMP Chowk in the Pattan area of Lower Kohistan at around 8am and blocked the Karakoram Highway again.

The jirga had announced the highway closure from 9pm to 8am on Wednesday night allowing stranded passengers to proceed to their destinations.

“We will not end our protest until the district administration releases our member Maulana Kareemdad and settles all outstanding issues including reconstruction of roads washed away in the 2022 floods,” Maulana Dildar said.

He said the people of Upper Kohistan would protest and block KKH in the district.

“We have decided to allow motorcars to cross over the blocked section one hour after Zohar and one hour after Asr prayers. Only light vehicles can’t have the 10pm-10am relief,” he said.

Deputy commissioner Tariq Mehmood had invited the jirga elders to negotiate with him, the police and Wapda representatives, but they declined and held their meeting to decide their future strategy.

Police had arrested Maulana Kareemdad and contractor Aurangzeb and transferred them to Haripur prison earlier this week for leading a group to obstruct the laying of transmission lines in parts of the district.

Meanwhile, local government representatives from Peshawar have demanded of the government to empower the village and neighbourhood councils to better address the issues of residents.

“We are inspired by the contributions of the Safada Village Council in uplifting the community through joint ventures with public and private entities. If the government devolves more powers to local bodies, they can play a proactive role in solving the problems faced by people in their respective councils,” chairman of Babu Garhi Village Council in Peshawar Azizur Rehman told an interactive meeting at the Safada village council here.

The chairpersons and councillors from Peshawar’s Babu Garhi and Dora councils visited the Safada village council premises and praised development and social welfare projects.

“If the government releases funds and devolved powers as enshrined in the Local Government Act 2013, this grassroots system can play a significant role in addressing civic and social challenges,” chairman of the Dora village council Mohammad Fayyaz said.

He urged the government to support tehsil, village, and neighbourhood councils to resolve their issues in the larger public interest.

Assistant director of the local government department Hamid Khan highlighted the measures undertaken by his department to strengthen governance at grassroots level.

Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2024