Judbah residents demand basic facilities

MANSEHRA: Residents of Torghar district headquarters Judbah on both sides of River Indus have complained of non-availability of health, education and other civic facilities.

“We are without healthcare services as the only basic health unit here is without staff, medicines, surgical and other machinery and equipment,” said Mohammad Riaz, a local resident, while talking to reporters in Judbah on Saturday.

Led by Riaz, a group of locals said that tribesmen of five clans including Basikheil, Nusratkheil, Hassanzai, Akazai and Madakheil had been settled in Judbah since centuries but were still without basic amenities.

“There is no bridge and alternative way to cross the river, which divides mud-houses, settlements on both sides and boats are the only source of transpiration which sometimes remain suspended in flooding days,” said Riaz.

He said that there was no high school for girls and boys and that the literacy rate of the district was far lesser than that of the neighbouring districts in Hazara division.

“There are two madrassa (Maktab) schools for girls and they leave education following completion of primary schooling there,” said Mohammad Imran, another resident.

One Jehan Jadbowal said that there was no rural health centre and proper healthcare facility.

“The only basic health unit, which is running in a rented building, is with-out healthcare services and its staff use it as residential quarters in the evening,” he said.