KARAK: The residents of Isak Chountra, Ghar Kala, Walaki Muhabatkhel and Monaka Banda have demanded supply of drinking water from Zarakhel water reservoir and said that the residents have been facing severe shortage of drinking water.

The elders, including councillor Noor Bat Khan, Anar Badshah and Raees Khan, told a press conference here on Saturday that these areas with the population of about 25,000 had been facing water shortage since long.

They claimed that survey and feasibility of the scheme for provision of water from Zarakhel reservoir had already been done in the previous Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government, but work could not be started on the project for unknown reasons.

Residents demand water supply from Zarakhel reservoir

The elders said that people of these areas were forced to drink rainwater which had been causing different diseases among them. They demanded of the district government to release funds for the water supply scheme on priority.

GOVT CRITICISED: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl district president Hafiz Ibn-i-Ameen claimed on Saturday that Shahad-ul-Alamia, the final certificate of Wifaqul Madaris, was not included in the qualification set for recruitment of teachers of Islamic Studies and other related subjects and as such the ulema had been thrown out of the race to become teachers in the educational institutions.

Talking to mediapersons here, he said that earlier the government had accepted that certificate equal to MA. He termed it a conspiracy against the certificates of Wifaqul Madaris. He said that the JUI-F lawmakers would raise the issue in the provincial assembly.

Meanwhile, the Paramedics Association, Karak chapter, on Saturday announced to boycott anti-polio campaign to press for their demand of service structure.

The announcement was made in a meeting held here at a local hospital with the association’s president Mohammad Asim Khattak in the chair. They said that service structure had been given to the employees of other departments, but paramedics were still deprived of it. Later, they also conveyed their decision to boycott the anti-polio campaign starting from Monday to the district health officer.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2019