Ashriat people demand for civic amenities.
CHITRAL: Ashriat is gateway of Chitral while entering in scenic valley. The valley surrounding high and rich forest from four sides there are so many fountain of milky water in mountains but 5000 population of Ashirat are totally deprived from potable drinking water. There is no facility of modern era in the whole valley. A basic Health Unit (BHU) existing there but it also running without any Doctor and only a non local midwife and medical Technician are treating of thousands of people. Although these BHU have been handed over to Peoples Primary Health Initiative Program (Formerly President Primary Health Initiative program which had launched by the then president Parvez Mushraf) but mostly of these BHU are deprived from Doctor. Qazi Sharif Ahmad a prominent social worker of the area told this scribe that although this is a gateway of Chitral and when any VIP visiting Chitral he pass through this valley and we time and again request them for uplifting this valley but nothing have been done until now. He said that there is no Doctor (male or female) in the whole valley and in case of emergency we shift our patients to Drosh or Chitral hospital but some time our patients or injured persons expire on their way before reaching to hospital due to dilapidated condition of road. He said that this is main Peshawar Chitral road but have big ditches in its middle. As well as there is no parapet and protection wall on road side towards the river.
Its only veterinary dispensary also deprived from all basic facilities neither there is any medicine nor any other facilities for cattle of these people who mostly depend upon their cattle and farming. A large number of people are compelled to travel outside the valley to gain their livelihood because there is no job opportunity for the youth of Ashriat. After winding up machinery and other material of a foreign construction company who were working on Lawari tunnel and the work has been suspended for the last two years due to no fund and Korean company shifted their machinery to some other place and that is why a large number of our youth were jobless Qazi Sharif added. He said that although the valley have rich forest but we people were not benefited as return by taking our timber. Our women are compelled to bring drinking water in pitches from a long distance on their heads he disclosed.
There is only one government high school for boys only but nothing for girls except primary one and that is why our young girls are setting in boys high school to get their education under co-education system despite the conservative mind of people Qazi Shafiuddin Head master of Govt. High School Ashriat said that hundred of students are reading here and mostly our students comprising over girls because there is no separate school for girls. He said that there is no Science laboratory nor library for students of science classes. A student of class 10th Miss Zaibun Nisa told this scribe that she want to become a Doctor but there is no facility to continue our science education nor there is any science laboratory so how we can fulfill our dream in present situation it is not seem to become a Nurse. Besides it hundred of girls students coming to boys school from more than 15 kilometers and mostly they travelling by feet because there is no school Bus for them. Sher Habib Jan advocate told that although we dislike to send our daughters to boys school but there is no other option except this. He said that people of the area suffering from numerous problems but unfortunately our elected representatives never visit the area to listen our problems. Social and political circle of the area have demanded from Federal as well as Provincial government to provide them basic facilities and civic amenities because they are also loyal Pakistani and having the right to entertain all basic facilities of modern era.
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