TAXILA, Apr 28: Eleven villages having a population of over 35,000 have been kept deprived of gas facility by the elected representatives due to political reasons.

People of Punj Khatta including Rashid Iqbal, chairman zakat committee Sultanpur; Sajid Shah, former UC nazim Toufkian; Raja Aslam, a former councillor; educationist Tahir Durrani and social worker Khalid Iqbal Siddiqui on Saturday told local mediapersons here that in the year 2003 Minister of State Umar Ayub Khan had announced provision of gas facility to their area consisting of 11 villages situated between Taxila and Khanpur.

They said the main supply line from Taxila to Khanpur, about 12 km long, was laid in the next couple of months after the announcement, but the villages including Badalpur, Tarnawa, Bheera, Julian, Marchabad, Mohra Sardar Baig, Nikra, Sultanpur, Pind Gankara, Kotha, Mumral and Gari Syedan were still kept deprived of the facility. They said partial connection to various localities including Khanpur, Tofikian and other localities had been provided as these areas belonged to the ruling party.

They alleged that the villages had been kept out of the facility as their inhabitants had not voted for the ruling party candidate in the general election.

The politicians of the area, they added, wanted to complete the project during the forthcoming general election so that they could get maximum support.

They said Sui gas department officials had told them that they were waiting for instructions of the parliamentarians of the area and without their approval they could not provide gas connection to any locality or individual.