Residents leaving Bakwa in search of facilities

FARAH CITY (Pajhwok): Residents of the Bakwa district in western Farah province are moving to other places due to the absence of health services, officials said on Sunday.

The most insecure district of Farah province, Bakwa is located 95 kilometres southeast of Farah City, the provincial capital. It has witnessed a string of attacks in recent years.

But Mohammad Ismail, the district chief, told Pajhwok Afghan News Syed Suno School had been providing education to residents. But the school was recently blown up by the Taliban.

Teachers have been assigned by the education department to continue teaching students up to third class in mosques of the district, he added. The district education office has been closed due to insecurity, Ismail informed.

Similarly, residents remain deprived of basic health facilities. The district chief confirmed the only clinic in Bakwa had been shut owing to threats from insurgents. He said security forces were also affected by the lack of health coverage.

Growing lawlessness and pathetic behaviour of the institution concern had caused the lack of education and health facilities in the area, the official complained.

He estimated 250 policemen and as many Afghan Local Police (ALP) members were needed to be deployed to the district to improve the law and order situation.

Brig. Gen. Mohammad Razzaq Yaqubi, the provincial police chief, said currently 207 police personnel were on duty in Bakwa. Families were shifting to other areas in search of basic facilities, he added.

Abdullah, 37, a resident of Ghazi Kalan village, is currently living in Farah City. He says hundreds of families in Bakwa are deprived of basic health facilities.

Abdullah said one of his relatives recently died due to health problems on the way to Farah City from Bakwa.

Shukrullah, a resident of Khwaja Hassan village, said he shifted his family to Farah city in a move to better educate his kids.

Because of absence of schools and clinics in the district, hundreds of residents had shifted to Farah and other neighboring provinces, he added. Most of the displaced families wanted to go back to their hometowns if clinics and school were established.

A resident of Sherin Tagab village of the district, Mohammad Amin, said he followed his school until fourth grade in Bakwa Shorkhani School, but he shifted to Farah city after the school closed down due to insecurity.

He said due to lack of education centres in the district, hundreds of students left their homes for Farah city to pursue their careers.

Deputy provincial council head, Abdul Hameed Hameed, confirmed the problems and said residents of Bakwa district had always interested in the development and education as they repeatedly demanded building of schools in their areas.

But some anti-state elements did not want developments, he said without giving further details about the saboteurs.

He went on to say provincial officials and local elders were responsible for taking measures for building schools and clinics in Bakwa district.

However, education department head, Mohammad Sabir Farooqi that his department had failed to build schools in Bakwa district due to security problems.

But 27 teachers had been appointed to impart education to 893 students up to fifth grade in mosques of the district, Farooqi said.

He said several meetings with local elders had been held to help his department built schools, but elders could not extend their cooperation.

Farah public health director, Abdul Jabbar Shaiq said a clinic had been started functioning in Tapa Takht village of the district since 2010 but due to insecurity doctors did not discharge their duties and the clinic had to be closed.

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