SWABI: Patients and staff have complained about stray dogs roaming freely on the premises of the Bacha Khan Medical Complex, Shashmansoor.

After the reopening of the out-patient department a few days ago following its long closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, rush of patients has increased in the hospital, so has the number of stray dogs on the premises of the facility.

It is the responsibility of the hospital’s management to keep the area free of stray dogs, complained a patient.

“Seeing dogs roaming freely all around the hospital is quite surprising,” said another patient.

“The indifferent attitude of the hospital’s management to this grave issue is regrettable.”

The hospital’s medical superintendent was repeatedly contacted to know his opinion on the matter, but he did not attend the calls.

HAILSTONES DAMAGE TOBACCO: Hailstones lashed various areas of the district on Tuesday, damaging tobacco crop at very critical stage of harvesting.

White Patta tobacco harvesting has already started and Virginia tobacco curing process is expected to commence soon.

Farmers told this correspondent that hailstones inflicted great financial losses on them, and asked the government to declare the region calamity-hit and compensate them for the losses.

Farooq Khan of Saleem Khan village said his tobacco crop had suffered extensive damage.

Published in Dawn, June 16th, 2021