SWABI: Two employees of Kalu Khan Civil Hospital in Razaar tehsil here were suspended by the district health officer on Wednesday after people protested against alleged illegal activities on the hospital premises.

DHO Dr Niaz Mohammad told this correspondent that after knowing about accusations and counter-accusations of two watchmen of the hospital, Tajamul and Faizalullah, against each other they took prompt action to suspend their services.

Sources said that Tajamul and Faizalullah did not enjoy good relations and would often lodge complaints against each other, but the latest spate of allegations between them had been taken seriously by the hospital administration.

Following complaints, the two employees have been suspended and a committee formed to investigate the issue. The sources said that the committee would submit its report to DHO for further action.

The issue infuriated the area people who staged a protest demonstration and blocked Swabi-Mardan road for about two hours and chanted slogans against the hospital staff. Leading the protesters, ANP leader Mohammad Ishfaq said that hospital staff should provide service to the ailing people instead of indulging in negative activities.

GROWERS DEMAND: Tobacco growers on Wednesday demanded of the federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments to take practical steps for ensuring purchase of their crop by the relevant buyers.

The meeting was called by Kashthkar Coordination Council. They said that two multinational companies, Pakistan Tobacco Company and Philips Morris International Pakistan, were expected to complete their quota soon and once they stopped buying tobacco what would be fate of the growers.

Speaking on the occasion, KCC president Liaquat Yousafzai said that they had set Aug 23 deadline and if their demands were not met they would set on fire their crop on the following day in the city centre.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2017