TIMERGARA: The Uthmankhel tribe has demanded of the government to merge Federally Administered Tribal Areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Addressing a meeting of the organisation of Uthmankhel tribe, speakers said that the tribe would oppose any other option except merger of Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The meeting was held here on Sunday with former MPA Haji Bahadar Khan in the chair. Elders of the tribe from Lower Dir, Upper Dir, Bajaur, Malakand, Charsadda, Swabi, Swat and Buner attended the meeting.

President of Utmankhel Malik Haji Bahadar Shah, general secretary Mohammad Ilyas Mandal, former MNA Mohammad Khan, Sher Mohammad Talash and Advocate Fazal Malik spoke on the occasion.

They said that Uthmankhels had been residing in 17 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. They said that people opposing merger of Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were not sincere with Pakhtuns.

Through a unanimously adopted reso-lution, the participants demanded of government to merge Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The speakers said the Uthmankhels had not formed their organisation to hurt others but only to unite the tribe for its effective role. The office of Lower Dir chapter of the oragnisation was also inaugurated on the occasion.

ANP: Scores of political workers along with their relatives in Toormang area joined Awami National Party during a function on Sunday.

The function was addressed Malik Mohammad Zeb, Malik Aftab Hayat, Malik Zamir Khan, Malik Salmanullah and others. Those who announced to join ANP included Malik Anwarzeb, Rahmanzeb, Malik Hamidullah, Malik Azizullah, Mohammad Riaz and others.

JI: The election process of the youth wing of Jamaat-i-Islami at union council level completed here on Sunday.

Briefing local journalists, JI district chief Maulana Asadullah, MPA Izazul Mulk Afkari and JI youth wing district president Shad Mohammad said that 139 candidates contested election for slots of JI youth wing president and 118 for posts of general secretary in the union councils.

They said that JI youth wing was supposed to play active role in the next general elections. They said that youth of the country were being misled under a conspiracy.