BAJAUR AGENCY - Elders of different tribes of Bajaur Agency have demanded of the government to write off the agricultural loans of farmers of the agency and warned that if their demand was not fulfilled, the agency people would launch a protest demonstration.
Addressing a press conference the other day, tribal elders including Malik Mian Masood Jan, Malik Bhader, Malik Bahdar Shah, Malik Muhammad Ayaz Khan, Malik Faqir Mohammad and Malik Sultan Khan said the federal government had written off all loans in Malakand division, which was suffered by the militancy but the loans of the Bajaur Agency have not been written off so far.  They said Bajaur Agency was also part of Malakand division, which was more affected than other parts of Malakand division by terrorism and war against terror but unfortunately the government had ignored the agency and no incentives have been given to people of the agency, the elders added.
The elders said that “Bajaur was the poorest region of the country and majority of the local people associated with the agriculture sector and for the last sex years, all kind of business particularly the agriculture sector were badly affected by the militancy and operation against the terror”. And people of the agency always supported the forces and the administration for action against the militants in the agency and this is the reason that Bajaur was cleared from the miscreants, they added.
The elders said that a year ago the federal government had announced to write off all agriculture loans in the agency and for this purpose official notification was also issued to the all branches of the agriculture development bank (Zari Tariqiati Bank) in the agency but official of the banks failed to fulfill the government order.
The elders demanded the government for providing loans with soft condition and immediately issued fresh notification for the write off the loans of the people of Bajaur Agency otherwise the tribal leaders would start a protest demonstration in favour of it demands.