Road construction kicks off; residents pay out of pocket

GARDEZ (Pajhwok): Residents contribute financially to the construction of a road in the Mirzaki district of southeastern Paktia province.

The road leads to the Karkin Valley where around 800 families have been living and is 15 kilometres away from the district centre.

Jumma Khan, a resident of Karkin village, told Pajhwok Afghan News this valley has 18 villages in which around 800 families live.

He said: “Due to the absence of roads, people spend hours walking in the mountains to reach the market in the district, although people are economically unstable but they decided to contribute and construct this road.”

Gul Rahim, another resident of Karkin, said: “When there is a patient, people take it in bed to the bus station, food and other items are transferred on animals.”

They said the road would be constructed on the contribution of each person, asking the government and welfare organisations to contribute and cooperate in this project.

Mohammad Ayub, another resident, said there is a clinic but it has no doctor.

He asked health officials to send doctors and medicines to the clinic and make it ready for patients.

Some other residents recalled telecommunication and some other issues and said that they suffered financial losses due to recent flash floods.

Local officials also acknowledged the problems and difficulties faced by the local residents.

Deputy District Administrator Mawlavi Khalid said the residents of Karkin village have road, telecommunication and healthcare issues, in addition, they suffered losses due to recent flash floods.

He said the problems of residents had been shared with relevant officials and hoped that they would be addressed soon.

In the past also the residents of some areas have decided to construct roads at their own cost.

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