By Wadood Mehsud
SOUTH WAZIRISTAN UPPER: The mayor of Sarwekai, Shah Faisal Ghazi, criticised the continued absence of officials and the non-functioning of several government departments in South Waziristan Upper, saying the situation had caused serious hardship for local people.
Addressing a press conference at the Mehsud Press Club alongside chairman Ishaq, he expressed concern over the performance of key departments and urged higher authorities to take immediate action. The briefing focused on regional issues, particularly in the health, agriculture, livestock and local government sectors.
Ghazi said he had recently visited several government offices across the district and found the situation highly disappointing. During the inspections, he said, no responsible officer was present in multiple departments and the offices had practically become non-functional, adding to public suffering.
Referring to the district health office, he said only two security guards were present while no senior officer or relevant staff were available. He described the situation as unacceptable and said negligence in such a sensitive sector could have serious consequences.
The mayor also cited a provincial progress report that had ranked the district health office in South Waziristan Upper among the worst performing in the province. Despite this, the officer concerned remained in position. He questioned the accountability mechanism and asked why such officials were being tolerated.
He alleged that over the past two years not a single penny of the funds allocated for hospitals and dispensaries had been spent, leading to deteriorating health facilities and a lack of basic services for patients. He questioned where the funds had gone and whether the exercise existed only on paper.
Criticism was also directed at the agriculture and livestock departments, which he said existed only on paper. According to him, officers rarely visited the field while farmers and livestock owners continued to struggle, with no vaccination campaigns or support schemes in place.
Ghazi raised concerns about the accounts office being located outside the district, saying the arrangement caused delays in financial matters and hampered development projects. He called for the office to be relocated within the district to ensure transparency and efficiency.
Referring to the recent local government elections, he said the public had participated enthusiastically in the hope of better governance, but local bodies still faced a shortage of resources and basic civic issues such as water supply, sanitation and road maintenance remained unresolved.
Speaking on the occasion, chairman Ishaq said the people of the area deserved equal access to justice and development and urged the government to review the performance of officials and remove those found negligent.
The mayor called for swift intervention by the provincial authorities to restore the functioning of government institutions and address the pressing issues facing the people of South Waziristan Upper.
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