THATTA, Aug 23: Six children have died and dozens others have been confined to bed following outbreak of gastroenteritis in several villages of Kohistan area for the last fortnight.

The deceased include Fehmida, daughter of Fazal-ur-Rehman Burfat; Meena, daughter of Shakoor; Shafan, son of Ramzan; Punhal, son of Punhoon; Haslee, daughter of Mohammad Sharif; and Sanghar Ali, son of Pyar Ali, all residents of Saleh Burfat village near Sadoro railway station some 6km off Jung Shahi.

The other affected villages of the hilly area are Bradabad, Ishaq Khooh, Sajan Jokhio, Kari Mori, Mal Mari and Jhampir.

Dr Ismail Palejo, president, Kohistan Rural Support Organization, told newsmen here that the widely spread disease could cause irreparable losses if mobile teams of doctors were not sent to the far-flung villages forthwith.

Ada Mohammad Memon, taluka Nazim, Thatta said that he had repeatedly apprised the district health officer about the disease but to no avail.

When contacted, the authorities at the district health office said that the situation was not as grave as had been reported.

Highwaymen: Five highwaymen looted Rs6,400 from the occupants of two trucks and a pickup and also deprived Abdul Majeed of his pickup on the Jangshahi Road near Jhando stop in the early hours of Friday.

The robbers, all equipped with sophisticated arms, had blocked the road in a hilly terrain by putting up barricades and looted Rs6,400 from the occupants of trucks (JT-5132) and (FDG-779) and a Datsun pickup.

Later, they intercepted another pickup (CA-4575), overpowered driver Abdul Majid, blindfolded him and after throwing him in the bushes, drove away in his vehicle.

The police were later informed about the incident.