HARIPUR: Elders have resented a lack of infrastructure and health and educational facilities in Lower Tanawal area here.

Members of Tanawal Grand Jirga Jehanzeb Khan Tanoli, Saif Khan Tanoli and Zakir Khan told reporters at the Haripur Press Club the other day that Lower Tanawal, which was once part of the princely state Amb, had natural, human and intellectual resources in abundance but it was “deliberately neglected by political opportunists.”

They said the residents rendered sacrifices twice for the country first by announcing the accession of their princely state Amb to Pakistan and later by inundating the graves of their ancestors and fertile land for Tarbela Dam, but the successive government did nothing for their development.

The jirga members said locals went to Punjab and Sindh provinces in large numbers for better living.

They claimed that 35-40 truckloads of gypsum and soapstone valuing millions of rupees were excavated in the area daily before being sent to industrial units in the province as well as Punjab but even then, not a single penny was spent on the development of residents.

The members said the politicians representing the area in assemblies got development projects approved to please their front men.

They complained that the area lacked health services, while schools were short of staff and facilities and women had to fetch water from distant areas.

The members said there was not a single gynaecologist in the entire area leading to the death of patients needing emergency treatment on the way to the DHQ hospital.

They complained that politicians didn’t work for the establishment of the campus of University of Haripur, a technical college or industrial units in the area.

However, they said after decades of discrimination and deprivation, the people of Lower Tanawal held a jirga and decided to field Jehanzeb Khan Tanoli of Darwaza as their election candidate in PK-46 Haripur constituency.

Mr Tanoli said after his election, he would work for grant of tehsil status to Tanawal area, establishment of the university’s campus and industrial units.

Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2023