Two patients die in Khyber Agency while waiting for financial aid

LANDIKOTAL: Two of the hundreds of patients, who had applied for financial assistance from the political agent funds, died waiting for financial assistance, members of aggrieved families said on Sunday.
Hakimullah, resident of Landikotal, told The News that his father, Hayanullah, was suffering from heart-related problem. He said that the doctors had advised an early transplant, adding that his family was poor as they had applied for financial assistance in October 2011. He said, “I made several visits to the office of the political agent of Khyber Agency but my requests went unnoticed.”
He said that the cost of the surgery was about Rs500,000 which was not released during the last one and half year. “I received a phone call from PA office on Thursday, asking me to visit the office and get the financial assistance after almost 15 months but my father died last year”, said Hakimullah while wiping his tears.
Meanwhile, Murad Khan, resident of Mirdadkhel, said that his brother was also a heart patient. He said the PA didn’t not timely issue fund to the deserving patients as many of them including his brother could not survive.
He said now they did not need to get help as they had already lost their beloved brother. He said, “An official of the political administration asked me to ensure my presence before the committee after one year just to complete the formality.”
It may be recalled that former political agent of Khyber Agency Shafeerullah Wazir had allocated separate fund for the welfare of the tribesmen under the head of ‘Atlas Khyber Fund’ to provide financial assistance to the deserving patients. The residents lamented that it was for the first time the sitting PA Khyber delayed the release of fund which caused many deaths of patients during the last one year.