SHANGLA: Residents of Shang area of Bisham tehsil here have demanded of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to ensure execution of uplift projects tendered in the past seven years.

The demand was made during an open kutcheri arranged by the tehsil administration, Bisham, in Shang area. It was chaired by tehsil assistant commissioner Mohammad Jawad Asif and attended by officials of the line departments.

Arshad Khan, a village nazim, said the local government projects of 2016-19 annual development programmes were yet to be executed by the local government department.

He alleged that an engineer had paid bills of some of the schemes to the contractors without verification of work done. He said the Shang civil dispensary had been facing shortage of staff and equipment.

Mohammad Bashar, an elder, said the area’s three government schools, especially the girl higher secondary school, Shang, had been facing shortage of staff and furniture.

Zafar Ali, a resident, said that projects of concrete roads and installation of solar light panels were approved by the government for various Shang areas, but they were yet to be executed. He said work on the water supply scheme was left halfway by the contractor.

The assistant commissioner on this occasion directed the relevant departments to address the issues raised by the people.

HOUSE ATTACKED: Unknown assailants allegedly attacked the house of a social activist in Banar Khwargai area who used to criticise political leaders, police and contractors. However, the activist and his family remained unhurt.

Karora police SHO Bakht Zahir told this scribe that a social media user Meraj Khan reported to police on Thursday that doors and walls of his house at Banar Khwargai area of Karora were damaged in the attack on Wednesday night. He said that they stayed inside and remained safe.

The SHO said a report was lodged on the complaint of Meraj Khan and investigations had been started.

When contacted, Meraj Khan said he contacted the police at the time of firing, but when they reached the assailants had left the scene.

Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2022