Peshawar: Advisor to the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Information and Public Relations, Barrister Dr. Saif, has stated that the KP government has serious reservations regarding the committee formed on the affairs of the merged districts. He conveyed these concerns to the committee during its meeting held in Islamabad, where he participated as the representative of the Chief Minister. The Chief Secretary and Inspector General of KP were also present in the meeting.
Barrister Dr. Saif informed the committee that its formation without consulting the KP government raises serious questions. “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the primary stakeholder in the merged districts, yet the province was not consulted during the formation of this committee,” he said.
He emphasized that the merged districts are a highly sensitive region, and any decision or change concerning them without the consultation of the KP government is unacceptable. “The merged districts are now an official part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and excluding the province from consultations is unjustifiable and unacceptable,” he added.
Dr. Saif further questioned the authority of Amir Muqam in making decisions about the merged districts. “Who is Amir Muqam to decide the fate of KP’s merged districts? He himself is a rejected figure who made it to Parliament through Form 47,” he stated, adding, “How can someone who lacks public mandate make decisions about the tribal areas?”
He also raised concerns about the selection process of the committee members. “We were not taken into confidence regarding who selected the committee members and how they were chosen,” he said.
Dr. Saif concluded by saying that the purpose of the merger was to address the deprivations of the tribal districts. “Any decision regarding the merged districts made without the involvement of tribal people and the KP government will not be acceptable under any circumstances,” he affirmed.