SWABI: The local leaders of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz in a meeting here on Friday demanded of the federal government to announce a development package for Swabi district besides provision of natural gas connections to the residents.

They criticised party’s provincial chief Amir Muqam for not taking up their issues with the central leadership.

The issues were discussed at a meeting held in PML-N district secretariat under the chairmanship of party’s Swabi tehsil president Malik Abdul Ahad. Party’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa additional general secretary Haji Dildar Khan, provincial vice-president Iftikhar Ahmad, district president Haji Shiraz Khan, general secretary Babar Salim and others participated in the meeting.

The participants noted that when the party was in opposition Mr Muqam would visit Swabi every week, but now he was ignoring the district. They demanded that natural gas connections should be provided to the consumers in the district.

Dildar Khan asked the party leadership to resolve the problems being faced by people in Swabi on priority.

ENCROACHMENTS: People here have urged the district administration to launch a campaign for removing encroachments from footpaths and other pedestrian routes in Swabi city.

Talking to this scribe, they said the businessmen had occupied parts of footpaths on both sides of Swabi-Mardan and Swabi-Jehangira roads forcing the people to walk on the main roads while putting their lives at risk.

A resident Ishtiaq Khan said it was the responsibility of district administration to remove encroachments and facilitate the people’s movement in the commercial area.

DROWNED: One Rozam Khan of Maneri Payyan drowned in Pehur High Level Canal when he slipped into it while performing ablution on Friday, said rescue officials. His body was later recovered from the canal by a rescue team and shifted to the district headquarters hospital.

Published in Dawn, December 24th, 2022