MOHMAND: (Shakirullah Mohmand) Slow pace of developmental projects in KP increases public worries in Mohmand and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa(KP)despite a promise of development package worth billions of rupees and big promises after FATA merge while the ground realities in the tribal district of Mohmand in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are extremely worrying.
The local population is of the view that the extraordinary slow progress of development projects and lack of funds have made their lives miserable.
Pakhtun Digital visited different areas to know the public opinion in this regard, where citizens narrated their stories of suffering. The main connecting roads of Mohmand district, including the Mohmand bypass and major highways, have been in disrepair for a long time. The public opinion revealed that road construction work has been incomplete for years.
Due to dust and potholes, it is very difficult to transfer patients to Peshawar, which often leads to the loss of precious lives in case of emergency. “Not flyovers, at least give us the roads that were already there and have now become ruins.” Locals said.
Although work is underway on major projects like Mohmand Dam, clean drinking water schemes at the local level are inactive. In remote areas, women and children are still forced to walk miles to fetch water from wells. Solar tube wells have been installed in many areas, but due to lack of maintenance, they have become inoperable.
Local youth and elders, while speaking to Pakhtun Digital, lamented the lack of educational institutions as many school buildings have not yet been completed, forcing students to live in the open air or in remote areas.
Due to the lack of staff and modern machinery at the District Headquarters Hospital, people have to travel to Peshawar even for minor tests. The government makes a lot of claims, but here in the Ghalnai Bazaar there is nothing but dust. The roads have been dug up and abandoned, businesses are collapsing.”
Gul Bibi local women said they have to leave early in the morning for water. At the time of FATA merger it was said that we would get facilities, but we do not even have basic necessities.”
There is no internet, no electricity. We are living in the stone age even in the digital age.” Students said.The administration’s stance is that the projects are facing slowdown due to delay in release of funds and some technical reasons. However, the public says that if these issues are not addressed immediately, they will be forced to resort to protest.
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