Kandahar’s Panjawi residents demand health centres, schools

KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): Residents of remote areas of Panjawi district in southern Kandahar province say they have been facing problems due to insufficient education and health facilities, urging the government to address these problems.

Residents of Tolukan, Moshan and Zangawat areas of the district say there is only one school and one health centre in each of the three areas, which cannot meet the needs of the people.

Abdul Ahad, an inhabitant of Tokukan area told Pajhwok Afghan News a few culverts were built in their area in the past few years and no other development project could be executed.

He said: “No development project was executed due to the past two decades of conflict in their area. Only one health centre is unable to cater to the needs of thousands of families. We want the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) to address these problems.”

Abdul Manan, a resident of Moshan area, said the road, linking their area to the district, has long been unpaved while thousands of people commuted on it daily.

He asked the officials concerned to address the problem on a priority basis.

Residents of the district also say they are ready to provide land if the government builds schools, religious seminaries and health centres for them.

On the other hand, officials of the Economic Department say they had executed a number of development projects in some districts of the province and they plan to speed up the process and address problems with financial support of partner institutions.

Abdul Ghafar Barayali, director of the department, told Pajhwok: “Although we have constructed bridges and culverts at people requests in Panjawi district. We are in contact with partner organizations to implement more development projects in the district.”

Tolukan, Moshan and Zanawat areas of Panjawi district are situated 100 kilometres away from Kandahar city, the provincial capital and most residents of the district are associated with farming and livestock.

kk/ma