PESHAWAR: The leaders of Qaumi Watan Party and Pakistan People`s Party have criticised the provincial government for what they call its failure to control outbreak of dengue fever.

Addressing a party meeting here on Tuesday, QWP provincial chairman Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao said that World Health Organisation`s report regarding spread of dengue in Peshawar was an eye-opener for the provincial government, which failed to take proactive steps to the deadly virus.

He said that as per WHO`s report, first case of dengue feversurfacedonJune14butthe disease tookaseriousturn in July and August owing to negligence of provincial government. The QWP leader said that the number of people affected by dengue fever proved that the claims made by PTI regarding reforms in health sector were baseless. He appreciated Punjab government for sending doctors to Peshawar to treat the dengue patients. He said that it was duty of the provincial government to welcome the teams of doctors sent by Punjab government.

Other leaders of QWP including Tariq Ahmed Khan, Asad Khan Afridi, Haji Mohammad Shafi Daudzai and Haji Saifullah Khan also urged provincial government to take steps for provision of quality treatment to people and conduct anti-dengue spray in different localities.

Also, PPP provincial president Humayun Khan showed serious concern over spread of dengue virus in parts of the province and described it failure of the provincial government. In a statement here on Tuesday, he urged PTI chairman Imran Khan to stop confrontational politics and focus on performance of the provincial government to overcome the core issues.

The PPP leader said that despite tall claims of PTI and its coalition partners, no practical steps were taken to improve basic facilities and people were dodged in the name of reforms. He said that patients were crying for help but public sector hospitals did not have the required facilities to protect them from the deadly virus. He said that dengue virus spread due to negligence of the district and provincial governments.

Mr Khan urged Imran Khan to suspend all of his other activities and supervise the anti-dengue steps of his government in the province. He said that in the name of reforms, problems of patients had been increased in the hospitals.