UPPER DIR: Two cases of dengue fever have been reported in Upper Dir district and later confirmed by laboratory tests.

The two patients were identified as Javid Ahmad, a resident of Sadiq Banda, and Gulab Zari, a resident of Nehag Dara. District health officer Dr Iftikharuddin said that those patients were brought to the district headquarters hospital in Dir and Wari hospital some three days ago.

The DHO said that after finding symptoms of dengue virus both of them were referred to Peshawar for dengue test. He said that the lab tests confirmed that dengue virus was found in both of them.

He, however, said that there was no danger of spread of dengue virus because the weather of Upper Dir was not suitable for this. He said that the two patients might have got dengue virus in down districts because it was being said that their families had migrated from Upper Dir.

ELECTRICITY ISSUE: After a demand by Dir tehsil council for provision of electricity to Chukiatan grid station from Golen Gol powerhouse, Chitral, the PPP Upper Dir chapter has also called for a multiparty meeting on Monday (tomorrow) on the power issue.

PPP’s Upper Dir leader Arifullah Khan and others told a press conference that Golen Gol project was initially designed during then PPP and ANP coalition government and an agreement was made under which electricity should be given to Chukaitan and Wari grid stations in Upper Dir.

They said that afterwards the people of Dir agreed to give their land for installation of electricity poles. Arifullah Khan said that it was the right of the people of Dir to get electricity from the Golen Gol project.

Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2018