Daily Times

MANSEHRA: A grand jirga of people of pales in Lower Kohistan have announced to move apex court for review of its verdict which upheld Chief Minster’s notification of bifurcation of Kohistan into two districts last week.

“We would not only move supreme court seeking review of its verdict which upheld Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government notification of Kohistan’s division into two districts but would also not allow erecting of main power transmission line from Pales to other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” MPA Maulana Asmatullah told the jirga held in Shergazi Abad area of Pales Tehsil on Monday.

The jirga, which was held with Jamiat ulema-i-Islam-Fazal MPA Maulana Asmatullah in leading, reviewed the Supreme Court’s verdict pronounced on January 16 declaring Chief Minister KP notification of bifurcation of Kohistan into two districts in accordance with the law.

Maulana Asmatullah said that as jirga would move its review petition in Supreme Court as what he said that it was highly injustice with the people of Pales Tehsil.

“We are in contact with our counsels for finalising draft of review petition to be moved apex court and as it is paper work is completes we would submit it in apex court,” he said.

Asmatullah announced that they would also not allow Wapda to erect main power transmission line which supplies electricity from Dubair Khawar hydro power project to Pales and Dasu.

He said that people of Pales would also stage sit-in in front of the Chief Minster houses in Peshawar against division of Kohistan into Upper and Lowe districts.

“We would continue our social boycott of people of Pattan,” said Maulana Asmatullah.

He said that Pales Tehsil was the biggest one with 13 union councils but Chief Minister Pervez Khattak had given Pattan the status of district headquarters.

Also in the day, MNA Sarzameen Khan the parliamentary secretary of Industry in National Assembly told reporters that if people of Pales wanted to move apex court for review of its verdicts it was their right but they would not allow anybody to sabotage main power transmission line.

“If anybody sabotage erecting of main power transmission line, law would take its course as I have talked with Commissioner Hazara on this highly important issue,” said Khan.

He said that that transmission line would also supply electricity to 4200 megawatt Dasu hydropower project and Kial high-power project which were projects of national importance.

A grand jirga of people of Pattan Tehsil held last week following verdict of apex court had welcomed apex courts verdict and announced to end social boycott of people of Kohistan.

On January 2016, a full bench of Peshawar High court Peshawar had nullified the notification of bifurcation issued by CM had nullified and people of Pattan led by Abdul Haq had challenged the decision in apex court which upheld latter notification earlier
this week.