New govt urged to build power dams on Kunar River

ASADABD (Pajhwok): Residents of eastern Kunar province on Sunday urged the upcoming government to construct electricity dams on the province’s river.

They also said the new government should provide job opportunities to the youths and prevent Pakistani forces from firing mortars into the province.

Haji Zargul, a tribal elder, told Pajhwok Afghan News that Kunar has rich natural resources, jungles, rivers and mines, but benefits from them were yet to be taken.

He said residents of Kunar were offered only promises during electoral campaigns in the last 18 years. He urged the upcoming new president to create power dams on their river.

He said electricity dams on the Kunar River would engage hundreds of unemployed youth and develop agriculture.

Another tribal elder, Sultan Mohammad, urged the upcoming president to prevent arbitrary deforestation and mining in the province.

He told Pajhwok that mines were illegally being extracted by some powerful individuals and smuggled the minerals to neighboring Pakistan.

He said Kunar’s forests were once second in world’s ranking but mafia groups cut them down during the past four decades.

Malak Khan Pacha, another tribal elder, said the new president should reconcile with Taliban militants and prevent Pakistani forces from selling into their areas.

He said if Taliban militants wanted power-sharing, then the new government should address their demand.

A number of other tribal elders held similar views and urged the upcoming new president to address their demands as his top priority.

Pk/ma