KARAK: Thousands of fish died after the Changhoz water reservoir dried up due to a faulty water regulating valve here on Wednesday.

Local people said that because of the faulty regulating valve a large quantity of water was being wasted daily, which resulted in the complete drying up of the dam.

Ayubur Rehman, the fish contractor, informed media persons that his investment worth over a million rupees had sunk with the drying up of the Changhos dam. He complained that the irrigation department took no interest in repair or replacement of the dysfunctional valve which resulted into the death of thousands of fish.

He said wastage of water continued for quite some time but no corrective measures were taken by the concerned department.

He added that the standing crops would also be affected severely due to unavailability of irrigation water.

PROTEST: The Khattak Loya Jirga, an organisation of former lawmakers, political activists and traders have expressed solidarity with the members of various rights bodies who have been protesting for a week against government’s lukewarm response to order probe into oil theft and construction of an oil refinery in Karak.

Addressing a press conference on the occasion, former provincial minister Fareed Tofan said that that a big public meeting would be held at the protest sit-in site today (Thursday), where, he claimed 50,000 people would participate.

He was flanked by former provincial ministers Mian Nisar Gul, Malik Fareed Azam, former MNA Maulana Abdul Aziz and former nazims Sharif Khattak and Rehmat Salam Khattak.

Mr Tofan resolved that the sit-in would continue till the acceptance of their demands.

Meanwhile, the local traders’ organisation announced to observe complete shutter down strike in the district today (Thursday) to express solidarity with the protesters.

Published in Dawn, February 26th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play