SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: Sulemankhel Qaumi Tehreek here the other day asked the government to grant the status of tehsil to Zarmelan and provide basic facilities to the residents of the area.

Addressing a news conference at Wana Press Club, Sardar Nasir Khan, head of Sulemankhel Qaumi Tehreek, stated that Sultankhel sub-tribe of Sulemankhel, residing in Zarmelan and Gul Kuch, had been consistently neglected over the years. He said that the prolonged disregard resulted in severe hardships for local population.

He said absence of a women’s hospital was a critical issue for the residents of the area. He said that lack of ambulance services exacerbated the situation, especially during medical emergencies involving women, who faced serious risks due to delayed access to healthcare. Patients are often forced to cover long distance to seek treatment, increasing the likelihood of preventable fatalities.

Sardar Nasir said that the performance of educational institutions in the area was poor. He attributed this decline to multiple factors, including teachers’ absenteeism, lack of basic facilities and insufficient monitoring.

He said that even routine official matters were made unnecessarily complicated. “The process of obtaining signatures from officers often takes several days, causing delay in documentation,” he added.

He stressed the need for administrative reforms to streamline such processes and provide relief to people. He also highlighted the positive role played by Sultankhels in maintaining peace and stability in the region. He said that the tribe always stood alongside other communities in promoting harmony and ensuring security and therefore deserved equal rights and access to development opportunities.

The leader of SQT urged government to take concrete steps to remove deprivation of locals and provide fundamental rights to them. He said that they would continue raising their voice for their legitimate rights on every available platform.

The press conference was also attended by Malik Sherullah Sulemankhel and Malik Sawai Khan along with other elders.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2026