Aibak township dwellers decry lack of basic amenities

AIBAK (Pajhwok): Some residents of a township in northern Samangan say they lack access to basic services such as school, health centres, clean drinking water and electricity, but officials vow to solve their problems.

The residents of Imam Muslim township accuse the previous government of corruption and say residential plots were distributed unjustly and ask the government to provide them with basic services such as education, seminary, clean water and electricity.

A resident of Karti Imam Muslim township, Qari Abdul Basir Hakimi, told Pajhwok Afghan News land plots for houses in the township were distributed during the previous government and there had been widespread corruption in the process.

The township residents have no access to school, seminary, health clinic, standard roads, clean water and power, he added.

More than 10,000 families reside in the township and they all face many problems.

The township is located in an area where floodwater threatens houses, he added.

He believes if only five percent revenue of Samangan had been spent on solving problems of the township residents in the past two decades, all problems would have been solved now.

The residents are struggling with serious problems in the absence of clean drinking water and they want to be provided clean water from Sarbagh district through a pipeline.

Hakimi added: “Our children walk for three to five kilometers to reach Aibak and Ajani High School, we want the government to address our problems.”

Tribal elder Sher Mohammad said: “We are facing many problems. Our main problems include lack of schools, standard roads and electricity.”

He said: “Our mosque is also located at a distance from our houses and the road is uneven and rough, it is very hard to attend prayers in this cold weather.”

Haji Abdul Hadi, another resident of the township, asked the officials to address their problems.

The complaints are being raised at a time the local government announced completion of a road worth two million afghani in the township.

Maulvi Akhtar Mohammad, Rural Rehabilitation and Development director, told Pajhwok Afghan News that reconstruction work on the road to Imam Muslim Township had been completed with financial support of the United Nations Office for Projects Service (UNOPS).

Maulvi Fida Mohammad Farzam, an official of the municipality, acknowledged the problems being faced by the township dwellers and said the township lacked basic facilities due to corruption in the previous government. He said the area considered for a school and clinic had been converted into residential areas by powerful individuals.

He said the municipality was trying to find solution to problems and assured early solution to the problems of the township residents.

The director of rural rehabilitation said: “We are trying to build a school, a clinic and a mosque in a basic and fundamental way in the township.”

Maulvi Matiullah Abid, head of economy, asked aid giving organizations to build basic facilities in the township.

He said: “We are trying to implement welfare projects in different areas of the province in 2024.”

aw/kk/ma