MINGORA, Jan 14: The residents of Malookabad have expressed their concern over the non-availability of drinking water in the locality and threatened to stage protest demonstrations if the problem was not solved.

The elders of the area said that the people were facing other problems relating to health, education, sanitation, etc., but the shortage of drinking water was the most serious one.

They said water problem was complicated by the local Nazim and Naib Nazim of the union council, as none of them had taken any interest in solving it.

The people also demanded upgradation of the local boys and girls schools and provision of medical facilities in the areas. They said that the sanitation system was also in a very bad condition and demanded its early improvement.

The Nazimeen rejected the allegations and termed them baseless. Khan Sardar, Nazim and Mohammad Alam Khan advocate, Naib Nazim of the Malookabad union council said that they had been making efforts for the solution of all the problems.

Clarifying their position, they said that during their tenure as Nazim and Naib Nazim no one had been given illegal water connections, adding that a number of illegal connections were rather disconnected. They asked the people to avoid such tactics and join hands with them for the solution of the problems.

BOY, GIRL KILLED: A minor boy and a young girl were killed and a woman was critically injured when a speeding passenger coach knocked them down on Mingora-Matta Road.

The victims were identified nine-month-old Musa Khan, son of Razi Khan, and Tasleem, 13, daughter of Muzaffar Khan, and the injured, Rawasia, wife of Razi Khan. Rawasia was shifted to hospital

Eyewitnesses said that the vehicle was non-custom paid and it bore no registration number. The driver escaped from the scene.