Malak Salam Tarin, Chairman of the District Council Harnai and leader of the Pushtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP), has issued a stern warning to local authorities, demanding the immediate transfer of Sub Divisional Officer (SDO) QESCO Harnai, Attaullah Bangulzai, within a week. Failure to comply, he declared, would result in a protest sit-in outside the QESCO office in Harnai.
Addressing a press conference at his office on Saturday, Tarin condemned the ongoing electricity crisis in Harnai, which has persisted for over a month and a half. He held SDO Bangulzai, who he claimed was backed by corrupt individuals, responsible for the power shortages affecting the region.
Tarin further criticized the provincial government for the lack of progress in Harnai, stating that the incumbent leadership, including the elected MPA from the area, was responsible for the unprecedented corruption and backwardness plaguing the district.
Among the major grievances, he pointed to the six-month blockade of the Harnai-Sanjawi highway to heavy vehicles, the suspension of the Harnai-Sibi rail service under the pretext of repair work, and the growing issue of drug trafficking in Harnai and Sharug, allegedly involving local officials.
The PKMAP leader called for urgent reforms, including the transfer of SDO Bangulzai, the reopening of the Harnai-Sanjawi highway, the restoration of the Harnai-Sibi rail service, a halt to the interference of MPA Harnai in local government affairs, and decisive action against drug trafficking in the region.
“The people of Harnai deserve better governance, and we will not stand by while the region continues to suffer,” Tarin concluded.