DERA GHAZI KHAN: The Municipal Corporation has failed to cover open manholes in the city.

Majority of the manholes covering the 3,000-kilometre-long sewerage system of the city lack covers and can cause accidents.

As per standard operating procedures, there should be a manhole after every 90 feet on a sewerage line, however these the standards were not adopted in the construction of this sewerage system.

Talking to Dawn, Deputy Commissioner Mian Iqbal Mazhar said that he had issued a notice to the Municipal Corporation and directed it to cover the open manholes within three days, especially those located in the vicinity of the chief minister’s house here in the city.

A Municipal Corporation officer, on the condition of anonymity, said they were facing financial constraints and shortage of covers and slabs for manholes.

He further maintained that despite shortage of resources, the corporation had covered manholes, especially those located in the vicinity of the chief minister’s house.

CM’S FATHER’S QUL: Qul of Fateh Muhammad Khan Buzdar, the father of the Punjab chief minister, was held here on Wednesday in his native mountainous village of Barthi in Tuman Buzdar tribal area.

Representatives of almost all Baloch tribes in the Sulaiman Range attended the prayers.

Mr Buzdar died of a cardiac arrest on April 1 in Taunsa Sharif. Federal and provincial lawmakers also attended the qul.

On Tuesday, Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Muhammad Kamal visited Barthi to condole with his Punjab counterpart Usman Buzdar and his family.

A second qul will be held in Taunsa city on April 4 (today).

Published in Dawn, April 4th, 2019