GHALANAI: Children in Atta area of Khwezai tehsil here have to quit education after passing the eighth class as the area is without a high school. Besides, the rural health centre in the area is short of doctors and paramedical staff and offers no facilities such as laboratory and X-ray tests.

Khwezai, which has the population of approximately 60,000 people, is the most backward area of Mohmand Agency with a low literacy rate.

In 2003-04, the government had built some schools and health units in the area, but when militancy hit the area in 2008 these properties were bombed and damaged.

Fazl-i-Khaliq, a resident, said that most of the girls in Atta area had passed their middle class exams, but because of unavailability of a high school they were compelled to abandon education. He said that there was no high school in the entire Biazai sub-division.

Imdad Khan, another resident, said that there was a severe shortage of staff and health facilities in the RHC, BHUs and community health centers in various areas of the agency. He said that the residents usually took their patients to Peshawar for treatment, and many of them died on the way to hospitals.

He said that the nearest high school to Atta was located at about 12km in Hameed Khan Qilla area of Haleemzai tehsil.

Shah Meen Khan, an elder, said that the only RHC in the area had no doctors, medicines and other facilities. The hospital has no X-ray facility while the health department has appointed a technician for the purpose.

The people have demanded of the KP governor and political administration to resolve their basic problems as soon as possible.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2016