MANSEHRA: Managing director of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Foundation Dr Khizar Hayat has said that public-private partnership contracts with nongovernmental organisations to manage under-performing public hospitals are being “reviewed and updated” to ensure provision of quality healthcare services to people in parts of the province.

“I am here on the directions of the health minister and secretary to address people’s health issues, as the foundation is going to review contracts with those entities that have failed to fulfill their agreements with the government in providing quality healthcare services,” he told reporters after attending a jirga at the district headquarters (DHQ) hospital, Dasu, Upper Kohistan, on Friday.

Locals apprised him of complaints on health-related issues.

Dr Khizar said that the Health Foundation was working with NGOs and other entities to provide quality healthcare services, and those failing to honour their agreements would face consequences.

Official says those failing to follow agreements to face action

“One thing I want to make clear is that the Dasu DHQ hospital was built around 28 years ago but remained largely non-functional until about four years ago when it was handed over to a private entity,” he said.

The official said that it was the first such visit by government officials to hear people’s complaints and resolve them in accordance with their concerns.

Earlier, Dr Khizar held a jirga with residents and listened to their complaints regarding healthcare issues at the DHQ hospital, which is run under a public-private partnership in Upper Kohistan.

“According to the agreement finalised between the Health Foundation and Nida Pakistan, the bed capacity of the facility was to be upgraded to 128, but now that the contract is nearing completion, only around 30 patients are being hospitalised,” one of the complainants said.

Another participant said that there was a shortage of doctors and other staff members, and none of the medical specialists or surgeons had been appointed as per the agreement.

BODIES RECOVERED: Bodies of two young girls who were allegedly kidnapped earlier this month fished out from rivers by the police in different parts of Balakot tehsil here on Saturday.

“The bodies of two girls have been fished out by our personnel in the jurisdiction of Kaghan and Garhi Habibullah police stations,”Balakot superintendent of police Sabir Khan told reporters here on Sunday.

The body of a 17-year old girl, was fished out from Kunhar River by the police personnel and shifted to the nearby health facility. An FIR lodged with the Kaghan police station revealed that a 17-year-old girl was allegedly abducted by Mohammad Waseem from her residence in Kaghan valley for marrying off and adultery along with Rs1.2 million and over three tolas gold ornaments.

The body was handed over to police after doctors completed the medico-legal formalities. The police lodged an FIR and arrested the accused, Mohammad Waseem, who was nominated in the FIR by the victim’s family.

Meanwhile, the Garhi Habibullah police also fished out the body of a young girl from Boi hydropower dam’s downstream and shifted it to the nearby health facility.

Locals, according to the police, witnessed the body flowing in the river and informed them, according to police.

Police handed the body over to her family following completion of the medico-legal formalities.

The family of the girl, whose body was fished out by the Garhi Habibullah police, had allegedly kidnapped nearby her residence on April 9. Her family lodged an FIR with the police later.

Balakot SP Sabir Khan said that police had already completed the medico-legal formalities and started investigation to ascertain the reasons behind both incidents.

Meanwhile, resident Said Ashraf was buried alive after his house collapsed in the Manchora area of Oghi tehsil.

Neighbours retrieved him from under the rubble and shifted him to a nearby health facility where he succumbed to injuries. The doctors later handed the body over to his family.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2026