LOWER DIR: Local intellectuals and social activists have lauded three young journalists for producing a short film on climate change, scarcity of drinking water and girls’ education in Khyber tribal district.

The 12-minute Pashto film ‘Dreams of Spring’ was screened at Nisar Shaheed Resource Centre in Timergara here on Thursday. The filmmakers — Jamil Iqbal, Malik Musa Kamal and Fayyazud Din — have graduated in journalism and mass communication and belong to Lower Dir district.

The film, according to Jamil Iqbal, has been included in national and international competitions. Scores of intellectuals, youth, social activists and local elders attended screening of the film.

They termed it an appreciable step. Jehan Bahadar, Akbar Khan, Ibrash Pasha and some others critically analysed the film and suggested some improvements in it. They called upon the young filmmakers to use film and documentaries for highlighting the pressing issues like environmental pollution, water scarcity and girls’ education in Lower Dir.

Fayyazuddin informed the participants that they already highlighted some issues of Dir like deforestation, timber smuggling, lowering of water table and incomplete Koto hydropower project through documentaries.

Ibrash Pasha, a social activist, said that it was a laudable step taken by the three young Dirojians. He said that quality and contents of the film were thoroughly reviewed and discussed during the screening.

He said that films could draw the attention of national and international authorities.

POWER OUTAGE: Jamaat-i-Islami Timergara spokesman Sheikh Ijaz Arshad on Thursday threatened to bring people on roads if authorities failed to provide uninterrupted power supply to them.

Talking to journalists, he said that unannounced and prolonged power outages had made the life of people miserable in Timeragra city.

The JI activist said that power supply was suspended to them frequently on the pretext of line losses and transformers’ repair. He said that prolonged power outage forced many traders to halt their business activities.

He said that duration of loadshedding was increased to 12 hours a day. He said that consumers would have no option but to take to streets if the duration of power outage was not reduced within the next 48 hours.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2024