LOWER DIR: Leaders of Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Balambat Tehsil on Friday alleged that no significant development projects had been carried out in Lower Dir over the past decade, claiming that the health and education sectors in the district were on the verge of collapse.

They warned that if the ruling party failed to “set its direction right,” the JI would be compelled to launch a street protest campaign.

The remarks were made during a press conference held at Ahyaul Uloom Balambat in connection with the party’s “Dir Bachao Tehreek” (Save Dir Movement). Addressing the media were JI Balambat Tehsil emir Sahibzada Sadiq Jan, former tehsil nazim Imranuddin, former district nazim Ihsanul Haq, former provincial assembly candidate Shad Nawaz Khan, Malak Shafiullah, Abdul Haq advocate and other party leaders.

The speakers alleged that the mandate of JI was “stolen” in the 2018 general elections and handed over to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI). They claimed that PTI lacked a clear policy for the district’s development.

Leaders threaten to launch street protests

According to the JI leaders, educational institutions across the district are in a deteriorating condition, while the performance of the health department remains disappointing.

The speakers maintained that during JI’s tenure, a network of development projects had been initiated throughout the district. In contrast, they alleged, the performance of PTI’s MPAs and MNAs had been limited to protests and slogans rather than practical steps for public welfare.

The party demanded immediate measures to revive the health and education, otherwise, they warned, the JI would mobilise the public and launch a protest movement.

NURSING BACKBONE OF HEALTHCARE SYSTEM: Speakers at a convocation ceremony in Timergara said the profession was not merely a job but a noble service that formed the backbone of the healthcare system.

The ceremony was held at Musarrat Shaukat College of Nursing, where a new batch of 47 graduates received their diplomas amid applause from parents, faculty members and guests.

The chief executive of the college and former director general health, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dr Shaukat Ali, in his keynote address, said nursing served as a bridge between patient and recovery. “A doctor diagnoses the disease, but it is the nurse’s care that plays a decisive role in a patient’s rehabilitation,” he remarked.

He assured that the college would maintain high academic and professional standards to produce well-trained nurses capable of meeting modern healthcare challenges.

Principal Mohammad Naeem, former provincial finance minister Muzaffar Said advocate and other social and business figures, including Bashir Khan and Bacha Ahad advocate also spoke on the occasion. They appreciated the institution’s performance and stressed that encouraging women to join nursing in underdeveloped areas would not only address unemployment but also improve access to quality healthcare for vulnerable communities.

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2026