K-P assembly expresses grave concern over G-B, Kohistan border clashes

The disputed land is among the areas being demarcated for acquisition for the much-awaited Diamer-Bhasha dam project. PHOTO: INP/FILE

PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) assembly has strongly reacted to the ongoing tension between Kohistan and Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) over a boundary dispute.

The  G-B government had announced that it would be taking over the land surrounding Bhasha Dam which had triggered clashes between the residents of G-B and those of the Kohistan district of K-P.

The K-P Assembly has asked the K-P government to take up the issue with the federal government.

A jirga comprising the home secretary, the Hazara DIG and the provincial assembly members from Kohsitan will visit the area and submit a report to the provincial government by March 3.

It was made clear that the issue will be settled by the federal and provincial governments, and that the local residents should wait for the final decision of the boundary commission.

The session was presided over by deputy speaker assembly Imtiaz Shahid on Friday.

The Kohistan MPA Abdus Sattar Khan alleged that G-B Chief Minister Mehdi Shah’s announcement to take over the land near Bhasha Dam by force had resulted in armed clashes.

“Several people of the area were killed in skirmishes between armed groups,” he remarked. “The silence of the provincial government is beyond comprehension.”

Opposition leader Sardar Mehtab Ahmad said that the provincial government should be thankful to MPA Sattar for taking up the issue, adding that the boundary issue of the dam was a longstanding concern and the dispute has surfaced again when the 4,000-megawatt project is set to begin.

“If the issue is not redressed immediately, it can result in further delays,” he said. He explained that it was the provincial government’s duty to protect the land of the dam, not the responsibility of the people of Kohistan.

The opposition leader also condemned the announcement made by Mehdi Shah and asked the K-P government to take notice of his announcement.

“The K-P government needs to approach the Supreme Court for resolving the issue through the formation of a commission headed by a judge,” he added.

Sardar Hussain Babak of the Awami National Party (ANP) went on to say that the provincial government needs to get in touch with the G-B government for avoiding further clashes.

Senior Minister Sirajul Haq said that the clashes were tragic and the country is in no position to have such disputes.

“This is a multi-billion-rupee project and we had demanded resolution of the boundary dispute at the onset of the project in 2007, warning that such clashes could occur in the future,” Haq stated.