Social media activist pressured to delete post

BOONI: A social media activist was on Wednesday called to the office of the deputy commissioner Upper Chitral over a post criticizing the district administration for its failure to complete the construction of a road in Booni and accusing some local PTI leaders of taking commission from departments.

Sources told ChitralToday that a complaint had been lodged with the DC office by Babar Ali, additional general secretary PTI Upper Chitral, against Mr Karim Ullah for accusing PTI leaders in the Nov 9 Facebook post of taking commission.

In his post, Karim Ullah wrote that work on the road leading to the DC office progressed at a snail’s pace and the district administration and the Communication and Works (C&W) Department failed to get the work completed.

“When higher authorities of the C&W department were contacted, they said the contractor is so powerful that it is not possible for us to get the work done through him.”

He also wrote that the district administration headed by a grade 18 PMS officer working on the grade 19 post of the deputy commissioner could neither itself perform nor get public works done through its subordinate departments.

“The ruling PTI in the area is divided into factions and some of its leaders are working for self-interest and busy in flattering the administration. There are also serious allegation against some of the PTI Upper Chitral leaders of taking commission from departments.”

After receiving the complaint, Deputy Commissioner Shah Saud marked it to the additional assistant commissioner (AAC) Mastuj at Booni Mr Shah Adnan to call the social media activist to his office and get a written explanation for the allegations.

Karim Ullah told ChitralToday that the PTI local leadership pressured him through the office of the deputy commissioner. He said he has been highlighting issues of Chitral, especially the poor condition of roads, but the ruling party leaders were using pressure tactics through the district administration to silence their critics.

He said the PTI complainant, Babar Ali, said senior party leaders of Upper Chitral had tasked him with filing the application in the DC office. Mr Karim also said the administration officials levelled ‘serious allegations’ against him during the sitting lasting over two hours.

A text message was sent to ADC Shah Adnan by ChitralToday for comments but he did not respond. 

Meanwhile, Tehreek Huqooq-e-Awam leader and political activist Muhammad Pervez Lal expressed concern over the district administration’s strong-arm tactics to pressure Karim Ullah with the aim of forcing him into silence.

He said pointing out shortcomings of government departments and public issues on any forum should not be treated as a crime.
If any person has a complaint against the social media activist, he should approach a proper forum such as court and police instead of calling him to the DC office and intimidating him, he added.