LAKKI MARWAT: Elderson Wednesdayannounced a shutterdown strike and a protest sit-in at the Hafiz Abdul Sattar Shah Bukhari Chowk in Bannu city tomorrow (Friday), complaining about the nonimplementation of their 16-point charter of demands approved by the provincial government.

During a news conference at the press club,Malik Moveez Khan, Nasir Bangash, Ghulam Qeebaz Khan, Farman Miryakhel, Mameezullah, Mureed Hayat, Gohar Inqilabi and Jamshed Khan said the residents staged a large rally in Bannu city on July 19 last year, prompting the provincial government to approve their 16-point charter of demands through the apex committee, but those demands awaited action.

They complained thatinstead offulfilling its commitments, authorities got fabricated cases registered against elders. The elders urged the government to implement the approved demands, reinstate sacked police officials, free detained elder Abdul Samad Khan, and withdraw the names of elders from the FourthSchedule.

They warned that they had learned about plans to relocate Abdul Samad to Sindh, so if any attempt to do so was made, the residents would block roads.

The elders asked local lawmakers, local body members, political activists, lawyers and students to participate in Friday`s sit-in.

They also urged traders to close their shops and join the sit-in for the cause of peace in the region.

SAPLINGS PLANTED: The administration planted over 1,500 saplings at two sites in the district under the Chief Minister`s Public Service Agenda.

Bannu commissioner Mohammad Ali Shah inaugurated the tree plantation drive by planting a sapling at the District Headquarters Complex Tajazai on Wednesday.

Accompanied by deputy commissioner Zeeshan Abdullah, forest department conservator Saleem Khan Marwat, DFO Shah Fahad and SDFO Nageebullah Khan, the commissioner visited plantation sites at the university and DHQComplex, where students and boy scouts also sowed seedlings.

He also went to Tajazai Complex, Children`s Park andslaughterhouse in Lakki city and orderedimprovement ofcleanlinessand provision of better services to people.

Mr Shah asked the local administration and forest officials to promote sustainable forestry and identify more plantationsites in the district.

`Cleanliness and tree plantation are the major parts of the chief minister`s public service agenda, so our administration will ensure them, he said.

The commissioner praised the students and boy scouts of Government Higher Secondary School Tajazai for actively taking part in the plantation activity and gave away a cash prize to them.

He also met with the elders of Marwat Qaumi Jirga at the deputy commissioner`s offices, learned about people`s issues and ordered measures to address them.

DPO Mohammad Jawad Ishaq and senior military officials were also presentontheoccasion.-Correspondent