GHALANAI: The local administration along with tribal elders on Saturday demolished 12 houses of suspected militants during a search operation in Haleemzai tehsil of Mohmand Agency.

Political naib tehsildar Mehmood Shah told Dawn the local administration conducted the operation in Ghalanai Mian Gan, Adin Khel and other villages of the tehsil.

The militants, whose houses were demolished, were identified as Sheraz, Mohammad Shah, Haroon, Aziz, Adnan, Ziarat Shah, Sazono, Ibrahim, Yasir, Akhtar Ali, Khatir and Subhan.

It is worth mentioning that the local administration had handed over a list of 22 wanted men to the Haleemzai elders to demolish their houses.

An official statement said the administration conducted the operation with the help of Haleemzai elders.

The tribal elders vowed to extend support to the security forces and the local administration in maintaining peace in the area.

Meanwhile, the rural health center, Ekkaghund, has been facing shortage of staff and facilities, creating difficulties to patients.

Local people said although lower Mohmand subdivision was the biggest subdivision of Mohmand Agency it lacked healthcare facilities. They said the dental unit in the RHC had been dysfunctional for last eight years

Shehryar Khan, a local resident, said the patients suffering from dental complications had to travel to Shabqadar or Peshawar for treatment.

When contacted, Agency Surgeon Dr Razaullah said the hospital administration had not requisitioned repair of the dental unit. “We have funds for repair of the equipments. If the equipments could not be repaired, we will send it to Fata secretariat for repair or replacement,” he said.

A relevant official told reporters that there was no shortage of staff in the hospital. He said that only equipments in the dental unit had been out of order for the last several years.

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2016