PESHAWAR - Students and youth hailing from Kurram Agency on Sunday staged a protest demonstration against the lack of medical facilities in Agency Headquarters Hospital, Parachinar where several injured of the Jan 21st blast are admitted for treatment.
Led by office bearers of Kurram Student Federation, the demonstration was held in front of Peshawar Press Club.
The protesters were holding banners and placards to denounce the barbaric killing of innocent people. The protesters said on one hand the government was not providing security to the people of Kurram Agency while on the other hand they have kept them deprived of basic facilities.
They said the agency headquarters hospital lacked basic facilities. Though there is a surgical specialist in the hospital to deal with any emergency, but at the same time no staff to assist the surgeon.
They said several of the injured persons breathed their last due to the poor condition of the hospital.
They added that the federal government was responsible for all of their miseries as no fund had been issued since long to upgrade agency headquarters hospitals in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). The protesters also demanded of the federal government to provide them security against the militants.
They also stressed the government for taking concrete steps against the elements involved in the heinous crime against humanity. The protesters warned that if the responsible elements were not arrested, they would stage a sit-in near Prime Minister House in Islamabad.
On Saturday morning 23 persons were killed and more than fifty injured when an improvised explosive device exploded in the congested grocery market in Parachinar. Due to lack of facilities, the injured were brought to Peshawar’s hospitals through army helicopter.
SECURITY BEEFED UP IN
BAJAUR Agency
Anwarullah Khan adds: The local administration enhanced security of bazaars and commercial places in the Bajuar Agency following the Saturday’s bomb blast in Kurram Agency.
An official of the local administration said while talking to The Nation that the fresh security measures in the agency were being taken in line with the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) Secretariat’s directives to thwart any unpleasant incident in the region.
The official said all the concerned officials of the administration and Bajaur Levies’ have been instructed to ensure fool proof security of public places especially bazaars and vegetable markets in the agency.
Under the measures, the official said, additional levies’ personnel are being deployed in bazaars and vegetable markets to keep close watch over the moment of suspected people. He said traders and shopkeepers of all bazaars and commercial centers have also been advised to remain vigilant.
According to the official, the traders and shopkeepers have assured the administration for remaining attentive to observe any suspicious activity along their shops.