PESHAWAR: Serious objections have been raised against the proposed new tehsil in Tank, with critics alleging that the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is moving ahead with a plan that could waste billions of rupees and create hardships for local residents.
According to concerns raised by local stakeholders, the proposed location at Gul Imam falls within a “High Universal Flood Zone” and lacks underground potable sweet water, allegedly based on records of National Disaster Management Authority and Provincial Disaster Management Authority.
It has also been claimed that the naming of the new tehsil has sparked controversy because it is allegedly based on ethnic considerations despite the presence of multiple communities in the area.
The communities mentioned include Marwat, Miyani, Qureshi, Jat, Syed, Mandokhel, Faqir, Bittani, Michan Khel, Badin Khel and Karigar families.
The objections further state that the proposed tehsil headquarters should be shifted between Ama Khel and Pani Wala, where, according to the proposal, sufficient plain land is available for development, underground sweet water is accessible, and the location lies at the geographical center of the proposed tehsil. It was also argued that the suggested site is comparatively safer from flooding than Gul Imam.
Another point raised in the objections concerns an alleged contradiction in official documents.
The notification issued by the administration mentions the name “Kundi Tehsil,” while a separate letter from the administration department refers to the area as “Tehsil No. 2.”
The local stakeholder also recommends that the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa should constitute an independent enquiry and selection committee comprising experts from the Floods and Irrigation Department, Public Health Engineering, Communication and Works Department, Environment and Climate Change departments, National Disaster Management Authority, Provincial Disaster Management Authority, Revenue Department and neutral bureaucrats to determine a suitable location and name for the proposed tehsil strictly on merit before final approval by the provincial government.
Engineer Nazar Hayat Khan, retired Chief Engineer WAPDA, stated that the government should immediately review both the proposed location and the name of the new tehsil to avoid future administrative, environmental and social complications.
