Islamabad: Member National Assembly from NA-37 Kurram and Parliamentary Leader of Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen Pakistan Engr. Hameed Hussain has expressed serious concern over the prolonged closure of the main road in Kurram and demanded immediate government measures to address the basic problems faced by the people of the area.

Speaking in the National Assembly, Hameed Hussain said he had been raising the issue of closure of Kurram's main highway in the House for nearly two years, but the situation remained unchanged. He said the main road in the area remained closed for as long as 22 hours a day, severely affecting the daily lives, education, trade, businesses and public services of the people.

Hameed Hussain said billions of rupees had been spent on establishing security checkpoints along a 30 to 35-kilometre stretch, yet the people continued to face restrictions on their movement. He demanded that the security measures being implemented in Kurram under the National Action Plan, as well as the prolonged closure of the road, be discussed in detail in the National Assembly.

He questioned how long the restrictions would continue and demanded that the government present a clear and permanent plan for keeping the road open. The MNA said that education, trade, business and government services were increasingly dependent on internet connectivity, while the people of Kurram were already facing difficulties due to road closures and were also deprived of adequate communication and internet facilities.

Hameed Hussain also expressed serious concern over the electricity situation in Kurram, saying the area was receiving barely two hours of electricity in a 24-hour period. He questioned the WAPDA authorities' position that consumers were not paying electricity bills.

"If the issue is payment of bills, the government should sit with the elected representatives and people of Kurram. We are ready to discuss a fair metering and billing system, but electricity must first be provided to the people, " he said.

He also raised concerns over alleged irregularities in the distribution of transformers in different areas of Kurram and demanded that transformers be immediately provided to areas where they were most needed.

Hameed Hussain said the people of Kurram were not demanding any special concession but only wanted the same basic rights and facilities available to citizens in other parts of the country. He urged the government to take immediate and practical measures to resolve issues relating to roads, electricity, internet connectivity and other basic facilities in Kurram.