LANDI KOTA L: A jirga of Shalobar tribe has demanded of Khyber Agency political administration to make special arrangements for construction workers to enter Bara as most of the tribal people were reconstructing their damaged houses after returning to their areas.

The jirga also asked the administration to expedite registration of those displaced Shalobar families, who were still waiting to return to their homes.

In a meeting with Khyber Agency Political Agent Shahab Ali Shah at Khyber House on Monday, the Shalobar elders, who are also members of Qaumi Sareshtha, apprised him of the security hurdles in taking construction workers to their areas.

The jirga told the political agent that no outsider was allowed to enter Bara without getting a no-objection certificate from the political administration. They said that such restrictions were hampered the reconstruction activities in Shalobar, Akkalchel and Qambarkhel areas as most of the labourers belonged to adjoining localities of Jamrud and Peshawar.

According to official figures so far 41,000 temporarily displaced families of Shalobar, Akkakhel and Bar Qambarkhel areas havereturned to their homes under the repatriation plan started on March 20 this year.

The jirga demanded of the political agent to issue special work permits to all skilled labourers from outside Bara so that they had no problem in travelling to any part of Bara.

Malak Waris Khan, a Shalobar elder, also demanded of the political administration and Fata Disaster Management Authority to make arrangements for immediate registration of hundreds of those Shalobar families, who could not make it to their homes in the second phase of repatriation. He said that the remaining displaced families were not allowed by security forces to return to their homes despite verification by local elders.

The elder said that most houses in Shalobar area were still without electricity and drinking water despite lapse of nearly two months.

The political agent assured the jirga that he would take up the matter of allowing construction workers into Bara with security officials while drinl(ing water and electricity would be supplied to them on priority basis.

The official urged the Shalobar Sareshtha to play an effective role in maintenance of law and order in their area and help the security forces in tracking down wanted militants and outlaws.