Remote village lacks basic facilities

Residents of Kharn village in Haripur urge government intervention

HARIPUR:

The remote village of Kharn in the Bair region in Haripur district, home to hundreds of houses and a population of thousands, remains deprived of basic facilities despite being rich in mineral resources, particularly soapstone.

The village, with its breath-taking landscapes, resembles a hidden island, boasting waterfalls, streams, and vast orchards of various fruits.

Residents told this scribe that the mountains surrounding Kharn are rich in soapstone, a mineral widely used in pharmaceuticals and face powders.

However, despite 14 years of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the village still lacks essential amenities, including healthcare and education.

For their daily commute to nearby Bair, villagers, including schoolchildren, rely on a deteriorating wooden bridge, which is decades old and in a state of extreme disrepair. The

bridge serves as the sole passageway for thousands of residents from Kharn, Kani Kot, Phudrah, and neighbouring villages. Due to its poor condition, it poses a serious risk and could collapse at any moment, potentially leading to a major accident.

Local residents have urged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to reconstruct the bridge to ensure safe passage for schoolchildren and villagers.

They stressed that this vital link to Bair must be restored without delay.