‘Tahafuz Huqooq-e-Marwat’ worries politicians in Lakki Marwat

Barkatullah Marwat

PESHAWAR: A new political party ‘Tahafuz Huqooq-e-Marwat’, which has emerged in Abbashaheedkhel area, has become worrisome to political parties in Lakki Marwat district.

Abbashaheedkhel region comprises the three villages of Dallokhel, Abbakhel and Matora. Some other villages including Wanda Kalin and Zerhan have also joined hands with the elders of the abovementioned three villages in their campaign.

The elders, who have formed the ‘Tahafuz-e-Huqooq Marwat’, want to field their own candidates in the upcoming elections to fight for their rights.

For this purpose, they held a series of meetings so far and another meeting was held at Dallokhel village on Friday where over 6,000 people of these villages were present.

They formed a committee comprising 70 members and also another think-tank consisting of 15-20 members to deal with the election process and finally they would set up a four-member committee with a responsibility of holding negotiations with the candidates of other political parties if they approached them.

The committee would unanimously nominate their joint candidates in near future to contest the election from PK-76 and NA-27.

The total votes of the Abbashaheedkhel is said to be over 27,000 and they are of the view that the votes, if polled in favour of their own candidates, could ensure their win on both the seats.

It was learnt that they are thinking over ban on the entry of local politicians to the villages. “For how long we will be puppets in the hands of these politicians?” asked a villager.

They said the Saifullah brothers played their role in shifting the site (which has become controversial) for the construction of the Lakki Cadet College to a far-flung area near Punjab boundary instead of building it near the District Headquarters.

“Isn’t it surprising that the district headquarters was built by Saifullah brothers in the 90’s and now when it came to the cadet college, it is being shifted away from the district headquarters,” asked another villager.

The site is being shifted to please a single person, namely Aslam Khan Isakkhel, who has donated about 1000 kanals piece of land for the cadet college, and the area is 25 kilometers away from the Indus Highway and district headquarters.

Ironically, the 600 kanals land donated by the Abbakhel villagers free of cost for the construction of the cadet college near the district headquarters has been made a bone of contention.

The provincial government had also approved the same site for the college but the Saifullah brothers have been creating hurdles for this mega project. The villagers also say the Lakki city and other villages, except these three villages, have been provided natural gas facility. “Why have these three villages been ignored; why are we being meted out step-motherly treatment?” questioned an area resident.

They say they have been facing unscheduled loadshedding and deprived of gas and other facilities being enjoyed by people of other villages in the district.

Retired Professor Zarwali Khan told The News that they would continue their mission to nominate their own candidates irrespective of the propaganda by other parties against them.

“We have a right to field and elect our own candidates as it’s a democratic process where everyone can form his party and field their candidate,” he asked.

“We have launched this mission to mobilise the people of other villages to stand up firmly for their own interests instead of becoming tools and puppets in the hands of these seasonal politicians,” he added.

He said the people of Abbashaheedkhel were against the ‘Khans’ and ‘Maulanas’ as they had been exploiting the people for their own ends.

“We have also been invited by residents of other villages after coming to know about the united stand taken by the people of Abbashaheedkhel and we will certainly visit them to get their point of view and their support,” Zarwali Khan said.

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