CHITRAL, Dec 15: Work on the polytechnic institute here could not be completed in five years due to the lethargic attitude of government departments, including the communication and works department.

Talking to this correspondent here on Wednesday, local PPP leader Syed Sardar Hussain Shah said that the work on the construction of the building was started during the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) government and the completion time of the project was 18 months. However, he said that construction of the building was yet to be completed.

He criticized the authorities of technical education department for their indifference to the slow pace of work on the site. He said that had the project been completed according to schedule the first batch of the three-year diploma course of associate engineers would have passed out next year.

Mr Shah said that Chitral was the only district of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which was without a college for technical education. He said that technical education was essential for the quick uplift of this backward area. He said that the efficiency of different government departments in the district was very poor for want of technical staff.

He said that no qualified technical staff was available while non-locals hesitated to come to Chitral for service due to lack of facilities.

Mr Shah noted that over 100 posts of sub-engineers were lying vacant in different departments here.

The PPP leader has demanded of the government to accelerate work on the site and ensure commencement of classes in the institute from the next academic session in July.—Correspondent