KOHAT: The three-kilometre uprooted and dusty patch of the University Road from Janana Mills to Jarma bridge here has become a permanent nuisance for the traders and thousands of commuters.

District nazim Maulana Niaz Mohammad, who travels through this road almost daily, told this scribe on Thursday that the 3km road was dug by the contractor in early summer in 2016 and then he disappeared. The education board, Kohat university and several offices are located on this road besides hundreds of shops and the dust rising from the road has made life miserable for the people.

When contacted, an official of Pakhtunkhwa Highway Authority, Engr Maqbool, said that official work had started on the patch in November last year when they issued notices to the PTCL, SNGPL, forest department and TMA to remove the lines, but after lapse of five months 70 per cent of water lines could not be removed.

Answering a question, he said that the work had been delayed due to poor response of the utility companies.

STUDENTS AWARDED: The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Kohat, gave away gold medals and scholarships to the position holders of government schools and colleges at a ceremony here on Thursday.

Provincial law minister Imtiaz Shahid Qureshi was the chief guest while MPA Ziaullah Bangash was also present at the ceremony held at the board’s main hall. BISE chairman Abdur Raqeeb briefed them about performance of the board.

On this occasion, the minister said that education was necessary for achieving progress and progress and prosperity. He stated that the present government had so far inducted 40,000 teachers for the government schools. Similarly, attendance of teachers has been improved.

He claimed that 50,000 students had migrated from private to government schools.

Meanwhile, old guards of Pakistan Peoples Party demanded representation of Hangu belt in the district cabinet warning that in case otherwise the party would suffer a serious setback in the future elections.

Former joint secretary Khaksar Ali and member of Peoples Youth Organisation Mohammad Ali said in a statement here on Thursday that since 1970 the Bangash belt had been winning seats for the PPP.

They said that former speaker Masud Kausar returned successful from PK-38 twice. They demanded that at least one leader from the belt should be appointed as secretary general or president in the district cabinet.

Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2017