Daily Times

A female Additional Deputy Commissioner in Abbottabad was forced out of her office building because of continuous political pressure from a local PTI MPA. The displaced office was essential in managing relief and human rights operations in Abbottabad. Situated on the ground floor, it provided accessible services to everyone including those with mobility challenges. It also served as a hub for collaboration with national and international NGOs and fostered dialogue and community welfare projects. The Daily Times has learnt that on Tuesday, the Deputy Commissioner allegedly in collusion with PTI officials removed the belongings of the female Additional Deputy Commissioner and locked her office. By Wednesday, the office had been reassigned to an MPA, causing operational disruptions and affecting vulnerable communities in Hazara as no alternative office was provided for Human Rights functions. Muhammad Idrees Awan, a human rights lawyer from Abbottabad, said the office was essential for planning and actions impacting thousands of lives. Its ground-floor location provided strategic accessibility and was ideal for collaborative work. “The office regularly accommodated monthly meetings for the District Human Rights Committee, District Vigilance Committee and District Jail Oversight Committee. These meetings were integral to policy discussions on human rights and social justice with the well-equipped environment facilitating effective dialogue”, Awan said. Sabahat Khan, a rights activist, said that the incident in Hazara, a region plagued by entrenched patriarchal norms and frequent human rights abuses and highlights the difficulties encountered by those challenging influential political forces Sabahat has condemned the Deputy Commissioner for abruptly removing the belongings of a female officer and locking the office without any formal written orders. The office had previously been a center for relief and human rights activities she describes the incident as deplorable. The sudden reassignment of the office raises serious questions about the continuity of human rights initiatives and relief operations in Abbottabad. With no immediate alternative office provided for these critical functions, the disruption threatens to undermine ongoing efforts to support vulnerable communities in Hazara.