LANDI KOTAL: MNA Iqbal Afridi has formed various committees to oversee the functioning of different government departments and also address public complaints.

Talking to journalists in Bara, he said that initially three committees on natural resources, education and health were formed and experts from the region were made members of those bodies.

He said that health and education were on top of his priorities, the natural resource committee would suggest for the protection of natural resources in Bara and Tirah and their utilisation for welfare of people.

The MNA said that natural resources committee would also help in resolving land disputes over ownership of coal mines and other natural resources. He said that the committee would demarcate the coal mines to resolve disputes among different tribes.

Mr Afridi said that precious natural resources were wasted or their excavation was delayed due to disputes over the ownership of various mines.

He said that he was in contact with different government departments and an official notification of the said committees would be issued soon.

The PTI MNA said that the committees, which were formed for the first time in Bara, would work in close liaison with the government departments and would suggest improvements in their working.

Mr Afridi said that people of tribal districts would also have equal share in the houses, promised by Prime Minister Imran Khan, besides getting health cards for free treatment.

MACHINE: The only dialysis machine installed at the agency headquarters hospital in Land Kotal has been lying unutilised for the last several years due to absence of technical staff, according to sources.

They said that the brand new machine was still lying packed at the warehouse of the hospital as the directorate of health services was yet to appoint technical staff for its operations.

Sources said that almost all the kidney patients were referred to Peshawar for want of technical staff to conduct dialysis of the needy people.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2018