KOHAT, Dec 24: A government hospital built 30 years ago to provide healthcare to residents of 23 villages in Ustarzai area, has been turned into a godown for dumping wheat and other stuff. Similarly, a primary school built in 1910 in the same area has not been reconstructed or even renovated.

Talking to this correspondent on Monday, residents complained that the Ustarzai hospital had been turned into a godown for storing wheat and other stuff in its rooms. They said there was no regular OPD and medicines for the poor patients.

The only X-ray machine is lying out of order for several years and there is no lady doctor and other specialist staff, forcing people to go to Kohat from the border of Orakzai Agency for treatment, they further complained. According to them, many patients expire on their way while several women gave birth to babies while travelling on a long bumpy kacha road.

Similarly, they complained that for the past several decades classes were being held in a rented building as no government took interest in rebuilding or even renovating the old building of the school.

“We have been tired of asking the government officials about the new school building. It’s ironical that the ANP government which claims to have placed education on top of its agenda also failed to take the issue seriously,” other residents informed this reporter.

A few months back a former chief justice of the Peshawar High Court Syed Ibne Ali, who is a candidate for the assembly seat of ANP, announced reconstruction of the school, but failed to realise his promise, the local people complained. Promises were also made by the two-time MPA and now incumbent minister Engr Syed Qalbe Hassan, MPA Musarat Shafi and MNA Khursheed Begum but all proved false.

The residents alleged that billions of rupees were given to the elected representatives during last four years but they failed to benefit the masses.