MANSEHRA: A jirga on Thursday demanded of the government to work for the development of women in Torghar district through development schemes.

It warned that the residents would take to the streets if their problems weren’t resolved without delay. Members of local tribes attended the event in Judbah area.

Elder Zahid Khan said a European Union programme had Rs120 million funds for the development of Torghar district and 20 per cent of the amount was supposed to be utilised through women committees but the district administration had neither formed those committees nor had it spent the money.

He said the European Union-funded programme for the Community Driven Local Development had Rs24 million for the women’s development in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but not a single penny of the money had been utilised.

“We want the women’s empowerment through development projects but the district administration is doing nothing for it,” he said. Elder Mufti Safiullah said Torghar was made a district in 2011 but the residents continued to be without basic facilities of life.

“Our Judbah tehsil has no middle school for girls. If the government is serious about bringing women to the mainstream, then it should ensure the early opening of a middle school for girls,” he said.

BAIL DENIED: A court of Torghar district on Thursday rejected a plea for pre-arrest bail by three people facing the charge of killing a minor girl by torching her house in Bartoni area last month. District and sessions judge Jamaludden Khan denied bail to Yar Mohammad, Niaz Mohammad and Khan Bahadar.

Published in Dawn, July 17th, 2020