Says SWA political agent has no respect for elected representatives
The on-going power struggle between ruling party’s Member of National Assembly(MNA) Ghalib Khan and Political Agent of South Waziristan Agency (SWA) Zafarul Islam took an ugly turn when the MNA threatened to stage a sit-in in front of the Parliament House and even warned that he will quit if the powerful political agent is not transferred immediately.
Ghalib Khan being an MNA of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) from South Waziristan Agency was quite optimistic about securing the transfer of PA Zafarul Islam who, he alleged, had no respect for the elected representatives.
The MNA also submitted a privilege motion in the National Assembly Secretariat against the political agent for his “irresponsible attitude towards the public representatives”.
The motion reads that after the visit of the Reforms Committee consisting of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) governor and federal ministers to Wana, the seat of government of SWA, the political agent and his senior officials remained absent from April 26 to May 2. MNA Khan said he visited their offices many time to discuss the important matters but they were always absent.
“The political agent did not bother to contact me,” the MNA said, and added, “His irresponsible behavior and disrespect towards the public representative cannot be tolerated. The PA and his superior officials should be called to appear before this august House and explain the reason for his misconduct.”
Talking to Pakistan Today, MNA Ghalib said that PA Zafarul Islam has no respect for public representatives nor does he have any interest in the development of the area, adding that he treats the people of Wana sub-division like a cruel stepmother.
The MNA said that he will first approach the KP governor to get the political agent transferred. If his demand is not met, he will a stage a sit-in in front of the Parliament House as well as in the Governor House in KP simultaneously.
He alleged that the political agent is the main hurdle in the way of uplift projects in South Waziristan, because he has given a bad name to the law and order situation in the agency despite the fact that his constituency of NA-41 has remained peaceful for a long time. He said that no mass exodus took place from the area during the almost-decade-long war against terrorism.
He said that the political agent has no role in maintaining peace. Instead, he said, it is the Pakistan army and the Peace Committee which should be given credit for restoring the hard-won peace in the agency.
The MNA said that the PA is little bothered about the problems of the area, because he just visits Wana to get the money extorted from the locals through various means and excuses.
Lashing out at the political agent, Ghalib demanded that the “Jagga Tax” received by the political administration at four check posts set up at various places in South Waziristan within a few miles radius should be stopped immediately.
He said that the people of South Waziristan should not be treated as aliens and the local businessmen and transporters should only be charged at the check post established in Angorada, the area bordering with Afghanistan.
Despite repeated attempts, the political agent could not be reached for comments as he was not available in his office.