PARACHINAR: The only Meteorological Aeromet Observatory in Fata, which was established in Parachinar by the British in 1897 and currently managed by Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), has been lying non-functional for years now.

Photos of the weather station spread over about 12 kanals show that the abandoned building is left to decay in the midst of skyscrapers in Parachinar.

The abandoned office of PMD in Parachinar presents a picture of a maze of crumbling walls and broken windows, doors, roof and tiles.

The non-functional station has seven-member staff of which only a local clerk, Ishfaq Hussain, turns up for duty while the station head, a resident of Swat, has never came to the station.

Talking to this correspondent, Mr Hussain said that they had no equipment and technical staff, including meteorological assistant and observer, for measurement to deliver quality forecast.

The local people have demanded of the government to make the PMD observatory functional or set up a new public welfare development project on the space of abandoned building.

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2017