KARAK: A committee of 16 villages of Nashpa block here has demanded provision of basic amenities and tree plantation to neutralise the dangerous affects of the oil and gas exploration activities.

The demand was made at a meeting of the body here on Wednesday with its president Malik Ataur Rehman Khattak in the chair.

The meeting informed that the 16 villages, where the oil and gas exploration activities were being carried out, had not been provided with basic amenities.

The participants said the lands of the villagers had been taken by the OGDCL for exploration activities at nominal rent while the oil and gas exploration company MOL working in the same district was providing higher rates to the landowners.

The elders complained that the foreign company was also providing scholarships to students of Banda Daud Shah but the OGDCL had not offered a single scholarship to students.

They said the OGDCL neither provided educational facilities to the villages, nor took any step to build roads.

They demanded plantation in the villages to neutralise the dangerous effects of gases emitting from the dehydration plant and oil and gas exploration activities.

PTI POPULARITY: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F leader Mian Nisar Gul Kakakhel claimed on Wednesday the popularity graph of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf had declined and people were feeling regret over voting for the PTI.

Addressing party workers, he alleged PTI had promoted the culture of vulgarity in the province. The former minister claimed people were joining JUI-F in large numbers.

Mr Gul recalled when he was minister the annual royalty funds of oil and gas for Karak were Rs700 million, which had now been raised to Rs2.5 billion, but there was no sign of development in the district.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2017