KHYBER: As campaign for the February 8 general elections gradually gains momentum in parts of Khyber, some zealous youth in Landi Kotal have started an awareness drive about provision of drinking water in response to the demand for votes from the candidates for both provincial and National Assembly seats.

A pamphlet, vigorously circulating on the social media platforms and being distributed among locals, underscores the gravity of acute water shortage in most parts of Landi Kotal tehsil. It assures candidates of full support and maximum number of votes if they succeed in resolving this longstanding issue.

The slogan of the group ‘Paani Do, Vote Lo’ (give us water and take our vote) is gaining popularity among people as water shortage is considered a major problem by a large section of the local population.

Sharifullah Shinwari, a moving spirit behind this campaign, told this scribe hat his group was not against any political party or any independent candidate nor would it interrupt the voting process. However, it was exhorting all the candidates to fulfil the demand for provision of water, he added.

“Every house in our tehsil is hit hard by water shortage. Women have to bring water in buckets and pitchers from long distance in all types of weather conditions,” he said. He added that people also had to buy water from tankers on daily basis.

Shortage of drinking water is considered a major issue in the area

He regretted that several candidates had during the previous elections made false promises about overcoming the issue but reneged on their promises once they were elected to assemblies.

Boosting of a ‘widespread’ support from the cross sections of the society, Sharifullah, however, clarified that the group was totally apolitical and was running its awareness campaign from its own limited financial resources.

He said that with the underground water table depleting considerably in recent years, most of the tubewells and dug wells dried down with a need for finding long-term alternate sources of water.

Rabi Khan Afridi, another active member of the group, said that their group was interested in early completion of the much talked about Shalman Water Supply Scheme, which could cater to the needs of more than 80 per cent residents of Landi Kotal.

He alleged that both contesting candidates and winners in the previous elections used the scheme for gaining support of voters but then conveniently forgot their promises after the elections were over.

“We have started a campaign. We are holding meetings with locals at their hujras, mosques, markets and other public places to convey to them our message,” he said. He added that they also educated locals about the importance of voting process and the power of their votes.

Manzoor Shinwari, another organiser of the campaign, told this scribe that they were making good use of social media platform with a very positive and encouraging response from people.

He said that they also planned to include some educated women in the group to convey their message to local womenfolk as they were affected badly by shortage of water.

Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2024