LAKKI MARWAT: Local residents, including civil society activists, on Friday said utility store outlets in Lakki city were short of essential commodities.

Talking to journalists, they said banners and posters hung outside the stores inscribed with prime minister’s tall claims regarding provision of daily use items to people at subsidised rates.

Sharif Gul, a local resident, said the citizens were unable to buy food items from open market amid sky rocketing prices, thus they visited the utility stores to purchase commodities but returned disappointed.

He said he thrice visited the facility with the hope to buy wheat flour and sugar but both the commodities were not available. He asked the government to either close the facility or ensure provision of commodities there.

Naimatullah, another resident, said the utility store outlets were shot of wheat flour, sugar, pulses, rice and ghee, and asked the local lawmakers to raise the issue in parliament.

ATM FACILITY SOUGHT: The office-bearers of all government employees’ coordination council have demanded of the relevant authorities the installation of an automated teller machine (ATM) facility in the district headquarters complex, Tajazai.

Talking to reporters on Friday, the council’s chairman Saeed Akhtar and other leaders said the complex housed offices of all government departments, including police lines and district courts with hundreds of employees.

He said a large number of people visited the complex daily in connection with their routine works.

He said government employees had to visit the Lakki city and Naurang town to avail ATM facility there.

He that if made available in Tajazai the ATM facility would help employees draw their salaries near their offices.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2020