SUKKUR: Traders, jobless youth and other members of general public complained at an open katchehry in Kandhkot on Friday that no concrete action followed such events and peoples’ chronic issues remained unresolved.

They said at the katchehry chaired by provincial minister Ikramullah Dharejo and attended by local leaders of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and officials of different government departments that Kandhkot-Kashmore district had been plagued by innumerable issues, which needed to be resolved now.

Nand Lal, a representative of grain and vegetable traders, said that open katchehries were routinely held but regretfully they did not lead to any serious actions to resolve peoples’ issues, which kept piling up over the years. “We are hopeful this time our complaints will be heard and basic facilities will be provided to citizens,” he said.

Liaquat Ali Khoso, general secretary of Citizen Ittehad, said that most of the problems people were facing were caused by absence of assistant commissioner in the district for a long time.

Peoples’ chronic issues remain unresolved after gatherings

No emergency facilities were available at government hospital which faced shortage of lady doctors and specialists and lacked trauma centre, he said and demanded the trauma centre should be constructed immediately.

Majority of the participants demanded an end to prolonged loadshedding of gas and electricity and allocation of budget for the construction of an adequate drainage system in the district.

Dr Mahar Chand stressed the need for the establishment of a unit of National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) in the district because it took dangerously long time to take a patient to NICVD in Sukkur, which often proved fatal. The consumption of contaminated water had caused hepatitis B and C in more than 40 per cent of population in the district, he said.

Raja Gopi Chand said that basic facilities should be provided to schools, which lacked proper furniture, furnished rooms and washrooms and drinking water for children.

Nasrullah Suhrani said that the district’s press club should be provided adequate funds and at-risk journalists who faced death threats and fake cases due to their work be provided protection.

Citizens regretted that degree-holding youth were looking for jobs in the district but there was no work for them to earn livelihood for their families. A section of Risaldar Road had been dug up, which often led to accidents but no one seemed bothered to repair the road, they complained.

The minister was informed that district complex had been established at the ground of technical college building, which created problems for students, hence, the complex should be removed. “Construction of girls’ vocational college has come to a halt, affecting studies of several thousand girls,” said citizens.

After hearing peoples’ complaints and grievances, the minister directed Deputy Commissioner Munawwar Ali Mithyani and SSP to resolve the public issues.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2021