National Press Club delegation briefed about Dir development issues.

In order to draw the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government's attention towards the grievances of over 2.5 million population of Dir Lower and Dir Upper, the Dir Grand Qaumi Jirga has been formed with a single point agenda i.e. development of the area.

This was announced at a press conference held at Akhunkhail House in Lower Dir attended by the members of the National Press Club (NPC).

The NPC delegation headed by former President of the club Shakil Qarar was visiting the area on the invitation of the Convener of the Dir Grand Qaumi Jirga and Founder and President of the Dir Overseas Pakistanis Association (DOPA), Rahim Shah Akhunkhail.

It was told at the press conference that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's (KP) successive governments have failed to address the problems of infrastructure, health, education and employment of the people of Dir districts (Lower and Upper) and now the Grand Qaumi Jirga has taken the matter in its hand and would do all it could to make it possible.

Dir District, an area with 5,400 sq km and 2.4 million population, is the largest district in KP, according to the 2017 census.

Rahim Shah Akhunkhail said by 'development' of the area, he meant a complete package: Promotion of tourism, Establishment of colleges, universities, Establishment of Dir Development Authority (DDA) and Dir Tourism Development Authority (DTDA), Exploration of minerals as the region is rich in minerals (and their local ownership), Supply of natural gas, Power projects, in short all those elements that make a society, a livable and lovable place.

He further said the majority of the people of Dir worked overseas and according to a rough estimate, they sent Rs 350 billion foreign remittances annually back home.

In return for such a huge amount, the people of Dir do not even enjoy the basic facilities of life, like a good hospital, road or schools, etc.

The situation is so bad that in primary school, 48 out 100 children drop out, he said according to a KP education department report from 2016-2017.

The dropout ratio worsens further to 75 out of 100 by the time a student reaches grade-10 in schools per an estimate.

Who is responsible for this poor...