SHARAN (PAN): Complaining of what they termed slow-paced development activities, residents of southeastern Paktika province said absence of agriculture and health facilities were the main problems being confronted by them. 
  
Saifur Rahman, a resident of Sharan city said development activities came to a halt in the province during the past few years.
A number of rehabilitation projects had been executed in the province during the past six years, however, development related activities came to a standstill, he added. In his chat with Pajhwok Afghan News, he said a road linking Sharan city with Urgon district remained ungraveled, which put the passengers and residents of the area into immense trouble.
 
Moreover, most of the in the capital city and districts are unpaved, he complained.
Mohammadullah Himatyar, a resident of Urgon district blamed the authorities for failing to address legitimate problems of the people.
 
Unpaved roads create multiple problems for the residents. Dilapidated condition of roads caused many patients to die on their way before shifting them to hospitals, he added.
 
Mullah Masoom, a tribal elder from Sharan city said the government repeatedly pledged to construct Plato water dam but construction work could not be initiated so far on the dam.   
 
He said thousands of acres of agriculture lands went uncultivated on the one hand while on the other residents of the area were deprived of electricity due to suing delaying tactics in reconstruction of dam. He said they raised the issue several times with President Hamid Karzai but no action could be taken to resolve pressing problems of the people. Shortage of water is key problem of the residents, he noted. 
 
Mohammad Akram, a resident of provincial capital said there was only single hospital in the province, which could not meet the growing needs of the patients, adding health care centers had no female doctors.
Abdul Ghani Paktin, provincial council member and resident of Waza Khwa district said he complained several times regarding the absence of male doctors at the health centers where female nursing staff discharged duties of the doctors but his grievances could not be heard.
 
Residents shift their patients to Sharan city or neighboring Pakistan for treatment due to absence of standard health care services, he remarked.
 
Salamudin Katwazai, a resident of Yahya Khel district said authorities did not concentrate to develop the town despite the fact that security had been considerably improved following extended support by the residents of the area.