SHANGLA: Political activists, lawyer and local body members staged a demonstration at the Alpuri Chowk here on Monday against the deputy commissioner for allegedly embezzling funds and being ‘rude’ to those visiting his office.

The Shangla action committee, which comprises members of the district bar association, had called for the protest to demand transfer of deputy commissioner Hassan Abid. The participants chanted slogans against the deputy commissioner.

Jawad Ali Noor, the action committee chairman, accused the deputy commissioner of being involved in corrupt practices. He alleged the DC didn’t pay remunerations of the recently-held census to the teachers. He claimed the DC had also withheld the local government funds.

Jamat-i-Islami’s district emir Najamullah alleged the deputy commissioner was facilitating a certain political party’s leader.

Awami National Party’s Shangla general secretary Mutawakeel Khan demanded investigation into the embezzlement of funds.

Alpuri tehsil chairman Waqar Ahmad Khan alleged the deputy commissioner had banned the entry of local leadership into the jirga hall.

Puran tehsil chairman Abdul Maula said they would not let anyone use public funds on their personal use. He said the government should transfer the deputy commissioner and initiate inquiry against him over funds’ embezzlement.

The action committee set a week’s deadline to the government to take action against the deputy commissioner.

When contacted, Hassan Abid told Dawn that the lawyers’ protest was only for seeking favours as they were not happy over his decision to launch an anti-encroachment operation. He claimed members of the bar association had constructed illegal structures, which were removed on his orders. He also alleged lawyers had also taken illegal electricity connections.

He claimed audit of the previous year had been completed and a not single observation of any wrongdoing was reported during his tenure.

Separately, the survivors of a bus accident and residents of Hunza based in Bisham on Monday protested outside the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital against its medical superintendant for failing to provide treatment to the injured passengers when they were brought to the facility.

They said there was only doctor and his four assistants in the hospital when the injured were brought there.

Safiullah, a resident of Hunza, told Dawn that the hospital even lacked painkillers.

A photo went viral on social media, showing a patient lying on the grass outside the hospital due to non-availability of beds.

Mohammad Ali, who was also injured, said there was no female staff to attend to the injured women.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2023