By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has called for the immediate reopening of roads, public spaces and recreational facilities in Dera Ismail Khan, arguing that unnecessary restrictions imposed in the name of security are disrupting daily life and causing hardship for residents.
Speaking to journalists in Dera Ismail Khan, Fazlur Rehman said the closure of major roads and public places was affecting routine activities, limiting social interaction and creating difficulties for citizens. He urged the district administration and police to reopen the riverside recreational area, Meteorology Road and Father School Road without delay.
He said it was the responsibility of the administration to facilitate the public and restore normal life rather than create additional obstacles. According to him, prolonged closures of roads, parks and public facilities were not a sustainable security strategy and could increase public frustration while undermining confidence in state institutions.
Referring to the city’s past security challenges, including sectarian violence, attacks on religious sites and targeted killings, Fazlur Rehman said that even during more difficult periods, authorities had not completely closed public spaces. He maintained that Dera Ismail Khan had witnessed improvements in religious harmony and political tolerance in recent years, making the continued restrictions unnecessary. He called on the authorities to reopen the affected roads and recreational areas to provide relief to residents.
Turning to agricultural issues, the JUI-F chief expressed concern over the deteriorating condition of the Chashma Right Bank Canal (CRBC), describing it as the backbone of agriculture in Dera Ismail Khan and Taunsa. He said the canal had suffered from inadequate maintenance for nearly two decades, reducing its ability to supply irrigation water.
Fazlur Rehman claimed that while the canal was designed to carry 5,000 cusecs of water, only around 3,500 cusecs were currently being supplied because of its poor condition. He also alleged that illegal water extraction by some landowners was depriving farmers in downstream areas of their rightful share.
He said the resulting water shortages had severely affected agriculture in tail-end areas of Taunsa, while some communities were also facing shortages of drinking water. Prolonged drought conditions, he added, had forced several families to leave their homes.
The JUI-F leader noted that thousands of farmers from Taunsa had reached Dera Ismail Khan through a tractor-trolley march to demand action against water theft, immediate rehabilitation of the CRBC canal and restoration of its original carrying capacity.
He urged the provincial government to allocate special funds for the canal’s repair and direct the Irrigation Department to complete rehabilitation work on an emergency basis. Restoring the canal, he said, was essential for protecting agriculture, strengthening the rural economy and safeguarding the livelihoods of thousands of farming families.
Fazlur Rehman also criticised what he described as the government’s continued neglect of the agriculture sector, warning that inadequate irrigation infrastructure was pushing southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and adjoining regions towards a deeper water crisis.
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