ZABUL PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Zabul provincial leaders traveled to Atghar, a remote district in Zabul province, Afghanistan, to speak with elders and villagers about security and education concerns March 25.
The Zabul provincial governor, Mohammad Ashraf Naseri, the provincial chief of police, Brig. Gen. Ghulam Sakhi Roghlewani, the provincial director of security, Ahmadullah Nazak and the provincial director of education, Rahimallah Lodin, spoke with more than 150 elders and residents in the district’s center.
Atghar, one of Zabul province’s smaller districts is isolated from the provincial seat in Qalat. Provincial government leaders are seldom able to visit the district due to security challenges between Qalat and Atghar. This visit was facilitated with International Security Assistance Force assets.
Governor Naseri opened the shura by expressing his interest in visiting the small district.
“I am happy to visit today, not as a guest, but as your friend to find out what problems or issues you are facing now,” said Naseri.
One of the main issues Naseri brought up was the security in the district.
“We have come here to put a stop to the fighting that is separating us,” he said. “We asked some of the people here who Taliban is fighting against. Americans? There are no coalition forces in Atghar. The Taliban is fighting against the [Afghanistan] government. It’s so bad to see Afghans killing each other.”
The provincial chief of police encouraged those in the audience to join the Afghanistan Local Police. The ALP is one way to provide effective security to local villages due to their familiarity with the respective area.
Along with security, education was also discussed during the shura. The provincial director of education encouraged all attendees to allow their children to go to school.
“Everything is possible, if you have an education,” said Lodin. “If you want to be something in life you must go to school. Male and female. We need to open these schools here.”
The governor echoed the importance of school and education, adding that if any member in the audience wanted to be a teacher to sign up now because positions were available.
After the provincial leaders spoke, they answered questions from Atghar elders and residents.
The visit to Atghar is one of many scheduled for provincial leaders to meet with elders and locals in outlying districts in the province, extending the influence of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Bruce Keene, Zabul Police Headquarters senior adviser, stressed that these visits from the provincial leaders is important to the people of those districts.
“These types of visits show the people of Atghar that the government of Afghanistan, the provincial government of Zabul in particular, cares about them and their issues," said Keene. "It demonstrates that GIRoA representatives have no issues traveling here to meet with them and listen to their concerns."
| Date Taken: | 03.25.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 04.04.2013 07:43 |
| Story ID: | 104595 |
| Location: | ZABUL PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 322 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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