KOHAT: Social activists have demanded removal of the thick bushes and trees from the centuries-old Sawalakh graveyard here, which has become a den of drug addicts and criminals.

A social worker, Shakeel told Dawn on Saturday that criminals hid in bushes around the graveyard, where nobody was visible even during the day.

He regretted that the graveyard was in dilapidated condition due to apathy of the authorities concerned.

Shakeel said people living in the area had made repeated appeals to the authorities concerned to remove the bushes and provide lighting arrangement to help people bury their dead and offer funerals at night with ease.

Shakeel lauded the social workers for collecting funds for installing hand pumps at the graveyard. He urged local lawmakers Shafiullah Jan, Daud Afridi, minister for law and finance Aftab Alam, MNA Shehryar Afridi and deputy commissioner Dr Azmatullah Wazir to pay a visit to the graveyard and see the problems faced by the people themselves.

Aleem Haider, another social worker, appealed to the TMO to arrange for lighting at the graveyard as people accompanying coffins felt a great deal of hardship at night.

Tehsil municipal officer Mohammad Shoaib said the municipal body was looking for a piece of land for a new graveyard, but shortage of funds hampered their move.

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2024