MANSEHRA: Communities in Ranowalia and Dubair villages of Lower Kohistan remain deprived of basic services four years after devastating flash floods struck the area in 2022. Schools, roads, and health facilities washed away during the disaster have yet to be rehabilitated, leaving residents without access to education, healthcare, or proper transport.
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“Four years on, our houses, schools, and health facilities have not been rebuilt. We are still deprived of education, roads, and healthcare due to government apathy,” said Saifullah Shaheen, a local student.
He added that the premises of the Government Higher Secondary School in Ranowalia remain filled with rocks and debris carried by the floods, forcing students to travel to other parts of Hazara division to continue their studies.
The only college in Ranowalia was also destroyed in the 2022 floods, but authorities have failed to reconstruct it. Local residents say the lack of infrastructure continues to hinder the socio-economic development of the area and denies children the right to education and basic healthcare.
Separately, police in Pulrah arrested a man allegedly responsible for killing his wife earlier this month and attempting to stage the incident as a highway robbery. Deputy Superintendent of Police Mudassar Zia said Mohammad Sohail filed a false FIR claiming masked robbers attacked him and his wife on December 5 while they were returning home from a medical check-up for their four-year-old daughter.
“Forensic analysis revealed that Mohammad Sohail shot his wife because he wanted to marry another woman,” the DSP said. He added that the case initially appeared to be a robbery-related murder, prompting extensive police investigation, including sniffer dogs, before the truth emerged.
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The twin issues of delayed flood rehabilitation and violent crime highlight ongoing challenges in Lower Kohistan, underscoring the need for swift government action to restore infrastructure and ensure law and order.