KHAR: Tribesmen have complained about the unavailability of essential commodities in the sole outlet of Utility Stores Corporation (USC) in Khar, the headquarters of Bajaur Agency.

Talking to media persons here on Tuesday, people from different walks of life said that the USC outlet was short of food items and essential commodities for the last several days.

They said that no food items were available at the USC outlet in Khar, the only such store for over one million population of Bajaur Agency.

`I have been visiting the utility store on regular basis for the last five days to buy some kitchen items at subsidised rate under the Ramazan package, but no food items are available at the store,` said Khalid Khan.

The people said that only non-food items like soap, shoe polish, toothpastes, shampoo and toilet papers were available at the store.

They expressed concern over the non-provision of food items at the outlet.

When contacted, head of the store Khadim Baraq told Dawn that the Khar outlet had been without common food items for the last several days.

He said that hundreds of people from different areas regularly visited the store to buy sugar, what flour, oil, pulses, dates and other food items, but they returned empty-handed due to the unavailability of essential commodities in the store.

Mr Baraq said that they had asked the regional headquarters for supply of commodities under the Ramazan package announced on June 24.

He said that the official of utility stores had refused to supply the commodities under the Ramazan relief package.

The tribesmen have demeaned of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor and USC authorities to take notice of the issue and immediately resume supply of essential food items to the outlet in Khar.

They also demanded establishment of four more USC outlets in the tribal agency.