Tribal people being exploited, says PPP leader

PESHAWAR: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Akhunzada Chattan on Saturday alleged that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had snatched employment from the people of the erstwhile tribal areas in the name of merger.

Speaking at a Press Conference in the Peshawar Press Club, PPP provincial vice-president Akhunzada Chattan accused the government of not implementing the roadmap that was finalised for the merger. PPP tribal districts general secretary Jangrez Khan Mohmand, Shahsawar Mohmand, and People’s Students Federation (PSF)’s Siraj Afridi were also present on the occasion.

He said that under the defunct Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR), people of the erstwhile Fata were always victimised.

He said the merger roadmap was based on holding local governments and provincial elections, and development by spending Rs100 billion from the divisible pool, but “now the government is imposing police on the erstwhile tribal belt instead.”

He said the people of the newly-merged districts were also against the government decision to depute the judges of these districts in other areas.

He alleged that Jehangir Tareen and some provincial ministers wanted to grab the minerals in the tribal districts. Chattan, the former MNA from Bajaur, said the government had taken U-turn on the merger roadmap and added that different sectors such as health, education and infrastructure should also be developed in the areas.