LOWER DIR: Relatives of cancer patients in Samarbagh here on Thursday demanded of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and health department to initiate a research survey in Dir to find out causes of the growing number of cancer cases in the district.

Talking to mediapersons in Timergara, they said that two to three members from the same families had been dying because of cancer. They complained that no one took the responsibility to conduct a survey on causes of the disease.

The patients’ relatives said that so far many men and women and even children had fallen prey to cancer in Lower Dir.

“There are also families in which three or four people have died of cancer,” they said and mentioned the family of one Jan Mohammad, a resident of Kambat, whose two brothers, father and mother had died of cancer.

The residents said the health department and other relevant agencies should conduct a research survey to find out causes of spread of cancer.

A staffer of a cancer hospital in Peshawar also confirmed that the number of cancer patients belonging to Lower and Upper Dir districts was high compared to other districts. He said majority of the patients belonged to poor families that could not afford the expensive treatment of this disease.

He suggested that the people in Dir should test their drinking water for dangerous minerals.

A retired physician Dr Khaista Rahman told this correspondent on contact that poor diet and minerals-rich water could be the cause of rising cases of cancer in Dir.

KILLED: A man identified as Ali Rehman, 25, was allegedly killed by his father Khan Zarin over a domestic dispute in Barikab village here on Thursday, residents and police said. Munda police have registered the case.

WOMEN DELEGATION: District youth officer Malik Shehzad Tariq led a women’s delegation from the Development Empowerment Women Association to the offices of various departments here on Thursday to inform them about the official work there.

The women also visited the Timergara public library. They were briefed about the services’ delivery at the DC office.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2022