ABBOTTABAD: Thousands of people from across Kohistan region
converged onto Dassu and blocked the Karakorum Highway protesting
against the government’s complete failure to help rehabilitate the
people and areas of Kohistan devastated by the 2010 floods.
"More
than 460,000 people were severely affected by the last year’s flash
flood and despite the passage of one year we see no government action
on the ground to help people rebuild their lives," said Taj Hussain
from the Dubair Valley, which had seen its entire bazaar washed away by
the flood. "The government has also not provided its promised
compensation of Rs. 100,000. Only some people received Rs. 20,000
through the Watan Card and that too with a lot of difficulty as there
is no ATM facility in the entire district," said Zarbulund from
Jhalkot.
Former Nazim Union Council Toothi, Ahsanul Haq, said,
"Poor region is still struggling to recover from the devastation of
last year while another flash flood this year has claimed 63 more
precious lives. This most recent tragedy has once again exposed the
vulnerability of the poor people of Kohistan," he said.
Shahzareen
of Sazeen demanded a fair share of resources for the people of
Kohistan. "130 megawatt electricity, which will be produced by the
hydropower project in Dubair must also have a share for local people in
this important utility," he said.
United under Tehreek Huqooq e
Hazara (THH), people from Kohistan to Haripur have consistently
struggled for their rights since 2005. "THH is our platform, it has
strengthened connections between us and helped us raise our voices for
fair post-2005 earthquake policies, for the reinstatement of the Chief
Justice, and for effective representation for the people of Hazara,"
said Alamgir from Battagram. He said they will continue to strengthen
the THH.
Addressing the protestors, THH leader Ali Asghar Khan
said that the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had allocated a mere Rs.
24.7 million for Kohistan out of a total allocation of Rs.6,064 million
for flood rehabilitation of the province. "The KPK Government must
explain the lack of equality in their decisions and present itself for
public accountability," he demanded. "How can the Government justify
the expenditure of Rs.237 million for Mardan’s total affected
population of 19,992 and expending about Rs.16 million for Kohistan’s
total affected population of 464,000," he asked.
He criticized
the KPK Government for keeping half of the total amount for flood
rehabilitation under "block" funds in this year’s ADP. "The Government
must immediately allocate this amount, and ensure that priority is
given to districts that have been severely affected by the floods, by
militancy or chronic poverty," he said.
"The people of Kohistan
have courage, capacity and commitment, but they have consistently been
denied equal opportunities," said Ali Asghar Khan. He reaffirmed THH’s
commitment to strive for the rights of the people of Kohistan and the
rest of Hazara.
"The demand for a separate province for Hazara
is not intended to give greater powers to power brokers that have
consistently failed its people. A separate province must be created for
the people of Hazara to have control over their lives and their lands
from which all other freedoms will flow," he said. THH believes that
through the creation of smaller provinces the citizens of Pakistan will
be better placed to shape their future and thus contribute not only to
their own prosperity but also to national integration and development. Online
