GARDIZ (PAN): Paktia residents are of the opinion that solution of problems including forests rehabilitation, dams’ construction, electricity, joblessness and security tend to bolster their living standard.
Khaista Jan Ahadi, Paktia provincial council head said electricity provision was extremely important, adding the government should adopt measure to ensure power supply without further delay. Few years back following presidential decree, the electricity from Tajikistan should have been given to Paktia but the ministry failed to ensure its supply, he remarked.
Janat Khan Mangal, a tribal elder from Paktia said preservation and rehabilitation of forests in Paktia was life line for the provincial economy and would leave positive impact on the country’s exchequer. Three decades back, the mountains in the province were covered by forests but during the wars, most of the forests were chopped. He said there were projects initiated by Germans in those forests which from one side were preserving the forests and from other side jobs were created for the residents. He demanded the government of Afghanistan and Germany to resume those projects to multiply the economy of the people.
Mohammad Nazeer, agriculture professor in the Paktia University said nothing had been done for the improvement of the vital sector in Paktia. He went on to say that there were dams to be constructed such as the Machlgo dam, which had been started long ago but its construction work was going with a slow paced process.
The residents blamed the government for not giving equal share to the province. Dr. Abdul Hadi Hamas, a civil society activist said one and half million populations was living in the province but the government record showed them much less, which left negative impact on elections, health, education and other sectors.
“Currently Paktia is known as second level province. We demand president to declare it as first level province,” he added.
The residents complained of fast growing insecurity, which affected the lives of the entire population. Enzer Gul, a resident of Sayed Karam district said insecurity was a major problem in the province, affecting negatively the rehabilitation, education and other sectors in the province. “Everyone knows who is fighting with whom and whose fight is this and who is benefitting from the fight. I ask Afghans to halt infighting and stop navigate their homeland to chaos,” he added.
Abdul Hashim, a resident of Zurmat district said there was fighting every day in his district where innocent people were being suffered tremendously. “We demand government to maintain security elsewhere in the country while the people should extend their cooperation to the government ensure peace and stability in the country,” he added.