Elders raise issues at public forum in Bara

BARA: The elders at a public forum here on Monday informed the district administration about various problems facing the people.

Deputy Commissioner of Khyber tribal district Mahmood Aslam Wazir had organised the public forum in Bara tehsil. Assistant Commissioner Bara Naik Muhammad Bangash, tehsildar Zulfiqar Khan, Malik Zahir Shah, chairman Pakistan Awami Inqilabi League Malik Zarbad Khan Afridi, social worker Saeedullah Afridi, traders Said Ayaz Wazir, Gulmin Shah, elders and others attended the event in Kalanga village. The elders informed the deputy commissioner about the problems they have been facing for the last several years. They said almost 75 percent agricultural land had been rendered barren due to water scarcity in Akakhel. “The land in Akakhel is fertile but owing to excessive electricity loadshedding, water can’t be supplied to the fields,” said one of the elders. They also said educational institutions in the area had not been upgraded since 1960 while many schools lacked staff.

“Just one Basic Health Unit exists in Akakhel area but that too is without facilities,” Malik Zahir Shah stated. He added that there were also land disputes between the Peshawar and Khyber residents in boundary area of the districts. Zahir Shah maintained that the government should adjust the local people in non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working in the tribal district.