LAKKI MARWAT: Local residents, including political and social activists, have asked the provincial government to provide funds for repair of the dilapidated portion of the Tajazai-Lakki Road.

Talking to reporters here on Friday, they said that the busy artery connecting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Punjab had been in dilapidated condition for last several months.

They said big cracks and ditches had appeared in the road near the Lakki city, causing inconvenience to transporters.

“The road from the Dallokhel Phattak (old railway crossing) to the Shaheed Abid Ali (Sheen Bagh) Chowk has become unusable for traffic,” claimed a PPP leader, Din Mohammad.

He said the Pakhtunkhwa Highway Authority had not repaired the road for last several years.

“The transporters from Bannu, Tank and other areas also use the road to go to Punjab and Islamabad,” said a social activist, Zubair.

He said due to lack of a proper drainage system, the road became flooded during rains.

The residents asked the district administration to take notice of the potholed portion of the road and direct quarters concerned to repair it without delay.

MOCK EXERCISE: The district administration and Rescue 1122 have decided to conduct mock exercises before monsoon season to check preparedness of the rescue service to cope with flood emergencies.

The decision was taken at a meeting held in Tajazai on Friday with additional deputy commissioner Habibullah Wazir in the chair.

Rescue 1122 district emergency officer Atif Sardar and other officials were in attendance.

Mr Atif briefed the additional deputy commissioner about the preparations his organisation had made to tackle any emergency effectively. He also shed light on the problems his organisation was facing and urged the district administration to resolve the same at the earliest.

Mr Wazir said losses to humans, properties and livestock could be reduced with effective preparedness and tackling emergencies during floods.

“The mock exercises will help the rescue service improve liaison with civic bodies, local government and other departments and launch joint and coordinated efforts to cope with emergencies during the monsoon season,” he maintained.

He assured that the district administration would fully support the organisation in providing quick relief and services to citizens.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2024