Residents highlight issues at open forum

MANSEHRA: Residents and local government representatives ata Khuli Khutchehri in Oghi on Wednesday raised health, education and other civic issues affecting people across their tehsil.

“I am here to hear you, and all relevant department representatives are also present to ensure timely action on address issues raised in this forum,” Assistant Commissioner Waqas Masood Chaudhry told participants of an open forum held at Government High School Oghi.

The people from different walks of life as well local government representatives voiced their individual and collective issues at the gathering. The chairman of Danda Kholian of Village Council, Mohammad Irfan, told the forum that despite the completion of the girls’ higher secondary school building over five years ago, academic sessions had yet to commence.

“Most of local schoolgirls discontinue their education after matriculation because their families cannot afford the additional financial burden of sending them to Oghi or other cities in the district and division,” he added.

He also highlighted the use of substandard materials in the construction of a primary school building and criticised the education department for failing to take punitive action.

Another resident, Saeed Anwar Khan, said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa health department had failed to appoint a lady doctor at the Basic Health Unit in Habora, forcing patients-especially women and children - to seek medical treatment in Oghi and other parts of the district.

One of the participants said that unhygienic meat was being transported from Punjab for sale in Oghi which caused the spread of various diseases among locals.