SHANGLA: The district administration has failed to resolve the issues highlighted at the open kutcheris held in Shangla from time to time, complain the local residents.

Talking to Dawn here on Saturday, Mr Nowsherwan, a former village council nazim, said he had demanded renovation of government primary school, Shanai Kas, the establishment of a basic health unit in Kuz Batkot and doing away with power over-billing at such forums, but the issues were yet to be resolved.

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government had started holding open courts at the tehsil level to address the public issues at the grassroots level.

Abdullah, an advocate of mineworkers’ rights, pointed out that he had demanded payment of compensation to families of miners killed in Darra Adamkhel tribal subdivision at an open kutcheri held in 2019, but to no avail. He said he had also highlighted non-provision of firewood allowance to government employees, but the authorities did not take any step in that regard.

Sultan Nabi, a former district councillor from Kamach, raised in futility the issue of shortage of staff at the basic health unit in Martung and dilapidated condition of Martung-Kamach Road.

Sajjad Ali, a student from Martung Kass area, also raised the issues of water shortage and lack of electricity at an open forum held in November 2019, but again no action was taken.

When contacted, deputy commissioner Ziaur Rehman told Dawn that he had asked the departments concerned to address the issues highlighted at open kutcheries.

Student commits suicide

A 19-year-old seminary student hanged himself in a room of the medressah in Shahpur area on Saturday.

Karora SHO Rohul Amin said the autopsy report and CCTV footage showed that the boy, Rahim Shah, a resident of Ghonda Damorai, committed suicide by hanging from a ceiling fan in his seminary room.

He said a case had been registered and further investigations had begun.

QWP PRESIDENT RESIGNS

Qaumi Watan Party’s Shangla president Dr Sajjad Ahmad Khan has resigned from the party.

Dr Ahmad confirmed his resignation to Dawn on Saturday. He said he would soon join the Pakistan Peoples Party.

Dr Ahmad had contested the provincial assembly elections from PK-24 in 2018.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2022