Khyber   -   The tribesmen have urged the concerned authorities to transfer two “corrupt” officials posted at the NADRA Landi Kotal centre and withdraw the First Information Report (FIR) lodged against the Tehsil Chairman.

In a grand jirga held in the Tehsil Chairman’s office at the Tehsil Municipal Authority (TMA) in Landi Kotal on Wednesday, Malik Masel Khan, Tehsil Ameer of Jamat-e-Islami (JI), Murad Hussain Afridi, head of Khyber Sports Club, Miraj-ud-din Shinwari, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islami Ameer of Landi Kotal, Maulana Aqib, Najib Khawrichan, and others categorically condemned the NADRA officials for filing the FIR against the City Mayor and councillors.

“Tehsil Chairman represents the entire Landi Kotal; therefore, lodging a police report against him is equivalent to filing an FIR against thousands of voters who elected him, which is regrettable,” they added. They maintained that the Tehsil Chairman and the councillors were mandated to raise their voices for the rights of the locals, and that attempts to undermine their services through unfair acts would be unacceptable.

They alleged that two local officials at the NADRA centre had blocked identity cards for applicants in exchange for illicit payments and urged NADRA officials to transfer them immediately in the best interest of the public and withdraw the FIR filed against the Tehsil Chairman.

The participants rejected the merging policy of the former tribal region, stating that the tribesmen had been deceived in the name of merging, as no privileges had been extended to the tribal community. A ten-member committee was formed to address the issues faced by locals with the administration and other government departments.

It should be noted that since last week, officials have suspended services at NADRA and CFC centers in protest against a scuffle that occurred between local councillors and the NADRA manager over the blocking of an applicant’s ID card.