MANSEHRA: The people of Upper Kohistan on Tuesday announced they would resist to any move launched by the government to make Palas part of their district.

`We will never welcome the people of Palas as part of our district. It will be better for them to accept the Supreme Court`s verdict on Kohistan bifurcation and remain part of the newly notified Lower Kohistan district as a tehsil,` local elder Malik Sakhi told a jirga held in Dasu here to decide future strategy on the matter in light of the Supreme Court`s verdict.

The jirga, which was attended by elders and people of Kandia and Dasu tehsils of Upper Kohistan district, unanimously opposed the inclusion of Palas in Upper Kohistan district as tehsil.

After the Supreme Court upheld the chief minister`s notification of bifurcating Kohistan last month, the people of Palas tehsil had said they didn`t want to be part of Lower Kohistan district and therefore, their tehsil should remain part of Upper Kohistan.

They added that if that option was not acceptable, then the government should give Palas the status of district headquarters of the newly notified district instead of Pattan.

The jirga also discussed the demands of the people of Palas and decided not to involve itself in the affairs of the new district.

`We set the Feb 10 ultimatum for Chief Minister Pervez Khattak to notify Palas as a tehsil of Lower Kohistan and if that doesn`t happen, we will come onto the streets for our rights, said Mr. Sakhi.

The jirga decided that itwon`t allow the government to include Pattan and Palas into Upper Kohistan district and that if the government tried to do so, strong resistance would be offered.

On the occasion, elder Malik Qadam Khan said under the Supreme Court`s verdict on Kohistan bifurcation, all 13 union councils of Palas tehsil were part of Lower Kohistan and therefore, the government should accept it.

`Kohistan is a backward district. In view to the deprivations of its people, the government divided it into two districts. Now, everyone should accept the government`s decision in the larger public interest,` he said.

Elder Malik Shah Hassan said the mega hydropower projects were being executed in Upper Kohistan and that the local residents would never accept the people of other districts in employments and share in royalty.

FREE MEDICAL CAMP: Wapda on Tuesday organised a free medical camp in the remote village of Koz Pirwa in Kohistan.

The doctors deployed at the camp not only medically checked patients but also provided them with free medicines.

Deputy commissioner Mohammad Asif said the government wanted not only to pay good price to the people for land being acquired for Dasu dam`s construction but also to provide health and other amenities to them.

He said the mega hydropower projects launched in Kohistan would bring about a real prosperity in the lives of the people.

Managing director of Dasu hydropower project Mohammad Javed said the government would provide allied facilities to the people in Kohistan. He said the people of Kohistan would enjoy all basic amenities soon.