CHITRAL: The speakers at a press forum expressed concerns over unavailability of cardiologist and basic diagnostic facilities of heart ailments in the district headquarters hospital.

They said that the number of heart patients was on the rise in the district and most of died while being shifted to Peshawar for treatment.

They demanded of the authorities to appoint cardiologist at the hospital and provide other facilities to it.

Addressing the community empowerment roundtable (Cert) and press forum, organised jointly by Devolution Trust for Community Empowerment (DTCE) and Legal Aid Programme for Human Rights (LAPH), Qazi Asghar and other speakers said that the government failed to fill the post of district cardiologist.

They said that after the upgradation of the hospital some years ago, necessary gadgets and instruments were provided to the hospital which were lying useless in the absence of cardiologist and technicians.

A number of participants also complained about the unchecked sale of unhygienic confectionary items in the shops of distant villages in the district.

District admin criticised for not checking prices of daily use items

Some members of the forum said that incidents of motorcycle theft were increased in the district.

They said that police failed to trace the auto thieves.

They said that theft of motorcycle was not a common practice in Chitral till last year but now the crime was carried out in an organised manner owing to failure of local police to check the thieves.

The unhygienic condition in Chitral city also came under discussion.

The participants of the forum criticised municipal committee for its inability to remove filth and garbage from the city.

The members of the forum also criticised district administration for its failure to check prices of various daily use items and fares of public transport.

DTCE regional manager Roohullah Khan and LAPH chairman Niaz Ali Shah said on the occasion that holding Cert and press forum on quarterly basis was aimed at providing effective platform to people to highlight their collective issues.

They said that under the Strengthening of Rule of Law in Malakand (SRLM) project, DTCE was striving to strengthen the government institutions related with law and order, which had been affected by militancy in the area few years ago.

They said that DTCE had already lent support to police in Malakand division and constructed buildings for the force.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd , 2014