Political, religious parties demand K-P govt resign over dengue outbreak

Participants of a jirga say the government failed to contain dengue epidemic

PESHAWAR: A jirga, comprising representatives of religious, political parties and elders of dengue affected areas including Tehkal, Palosi, Gharibabad, Pishtakhara and Sufaid Dehri, has demanded of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government to resign forthwith over failure to contain the deadly dengue epidemic.

Khalil Qaumi Jirga made the demand during a meeting held at the residence of Kashif Azam Khan, former provincial minister and leader of Jamat-e-Islami (JI) on Wednesday.

The meeting of Khalil Qaumi Jirga was attended by Arbab Khizer Hayat of PML-N, Maulana Amanullah Haqqani of JUI-F, ex-MPA Atifur Rehman, Pir Fida Advocate of PTI, Arbab Alamgir Khan of PPP, Arbab Tahir Khan of ANP and representatives of various political parties and tribes.

The participants of the jirga while expressing annoyance said that government response on controlling dengue was totally non-serious as no practical measure were taken nor any consideration was given to the demands presented by jirga members.

They alleged that government was not sincere in eradication of dengue and did not have any intention of providing relief to masses.

They reiterated their demand from K-P government to forthwith resign over failure in containing dengue and providing relief to masses.

Talking to newsmen after the meeting, Hayat said that government has kept itself quite over the important issue of dengue.

The government, he continued, had even stopped holding fumigation spray in affected areas nor taking measures for eradication of mosquito larva.

Hayat warned that dengue epidemic is fast spreading to other parts of Peshawar district and if practical steps were not taken it will affect large population of the city or may spread over whole of K-P.

He said scores of people have died of dengue while hundreds of others are getting treatment in different hospitals.

He claimed that the actual casualty because of dengue is above 60 against official figure of around 41 persons. Government is giving data of only those who died in hospitals and those who died at homes are not added in official record, Hayat argued.

The Khalil Qaumi Jirga had demanded compensation of Rs1 million for the heir of each dengue patient, but government has kept mum over this issue, he went on to say.

Hayat said soon Khalil Qaumi Jirga will make important announcement regarding its protest against dengue and people will be on streets against non-serious attitude of government in containing the epidemic.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 5^th, 2017.