Jirga disapprove merger of upper, lower Kohistan

Elders of Jirga from upper Kohistan have out-rightly rejected the proposal to merge some parts of the lower Kohistan with upper region, and demanded from the provincial government to implement earlier decision of bifurcation of the district in two parts in letter and spirit.
Speaking at a news conference at press club here on Wednesday, the Jirga elder Haji Maluk Shah said that the Kohistan comprises of 39 union councils, including 23 in lower and 16 in upper parts of the district. He informed the 80 members Jirga of Upper Kohistan representing tehsil of Dasu consists of 16 Union councils of valley of Kaniya, Jalkot, Sarzeen, and parts of the Upper Kohistan region had endorsed the provincial government decision of division of Kohistan in two parts.
Flanked the Jirga elders, Abdul Jabbar, Malik Qadeem Khan, Malik Siraj, Abdul Wadood, Qari Mohammad Saeed, Aurangzeb, Israr Advocate and others, he said the Kohistan was bifurcated into two parts with mutual census of the people of the region, and with consultation of three elected members of provincial assembly belonging to Kohistan
Mr Shah said that the boundaries had been identified following bifurcation of Kohistan in two parts which was laudable decision of the incumbent provincial government. But, he said some people tried to annex 13 union councils of lower Kohistan with upper region, which was unacceptable to them. He said the move was merely aimed to create bias and differences among the people of the region which would be strongly resisted.
"We were neither in favour of the people of Pattan nor against the Palas," Mr Shah said. He said the official notification issued on January 2014, regarding bifurcation of Kohistan into two parts was challenged in court by some people for only political gains.
But, he said the Supreme Court issued orders retaining the decision of provincial government regarding bifurcation of Kohistan on February 15 this year, which should be implemented in letter and spirit. He asked the provincial government to refrain from merging lower Kohistan with upper region against wishes of local people.
He made it clear that they would not allow differences and bias on division of East and West Kohistan, which was basic objective and desire of the people of upper Kohistan region. He demanded of the provincial government to implement the decision in letter and spirit.