Palas Teshil residents hold protest demo

Kohistan district bifurcation

MANSEHRA: Some inhabitants of Palas tehsil of Kohistan on Thursday staged protest in Oghi asking the government to ensure safe evacuation of their relatives from Pattan area.

There has been tension going on between people of Palas and Pattan tehsils over the bifurcation of Kohistan into two districts.The protesters raised slogans in support of their demands. “People of Palas are stranded in their homes for the last one week as armed men are standing on roads traversing Pattan area and there is acute shortage of food and edibles,” said Shan Wali while speaking to protesters in Oghi.

He said that people of Palas tehsil had moved the Peshawar High Court against the bifurcation of Kohistan district.“The people of Pattan picked up arms and closed all roads after the PHC court gave its verdict against the bifurcation. Even patients are not allowed to hospitals and as a result a minor girl died recently,” said Wali.

Meanwhile, members of Pattan committee led by Maulana Karimdad met Deputy Commissioner Fazal-i-Khaliq and reiterated that the road leading to Palas from Pattan was neither blocked nor were armed men present there.“Whatever people of Palas have been saying about the  road blockade and banning entry of students and patients into Pattan is baseless,” said Karimdad.