Pakistan- Lack of facilities: 'Tribesmen still living in the Stone Age'

(MENAFN- Tribal News Network) KURRAM: The tribal People of central Kurram on Sunday said that even in this modern time, they are still living in the stone age as they are deprived of all basic facilities of life including mobile phone and landline services.

In this regard, a jirga was held in Manatu in which number tribal elders from central Kurram participated.

Central Kurram tribal elders have said they are living in the Stone Age because of lack of modern facilities, including mobile phones and PTCL services in the area. Addressing a representative jirga in Manatu, Central Kurram, tribal elders and 15-member committee leaders Malik Raja Mir, Qibet Khan, Mir Asghar, Sarwar Khan and other elders lamented that the Central Kurram area is facing lack of basic facilities of life.

The tribal elders said that because of the lack of mobile phone service and PTCL facility, they've to travel to Parachinar and Sadda to contact relatives and friends living in other countries and cities.

They have also raised the issue of non-payment of compensation to the war-affected people of Kurram district and complained that in most of the area, the government has not even conducted a survey to assess the damage and pay compensation.

The elders informed that people were displaced by the unrest and military operations against the militants in 2011, but after their return, all their houses and business centres were destroyed. They alleged that only roadside homes were surveyed in 2016. However, in remote areas, survey work has not yet taken place. The jirga members revealed that only in Manatu Zemst area a total of 234 affected houses are left from the survey area.

The jirga members informed that despite repeated demands, affected houses are not being surveyed which has caused a wave of anxiety among the people of the area and they are facing severe problems to restart lives in war-devastated areas.

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