MIANWALI, Nov 17: District Naib Nazim Malik Tariq Masood Kund is alleged to have forcibly stopped construction of a portion of Dhok Ghazan Road in Chakrala police station precinct. Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi had granted Rs15 million for the construction of a seven-kilometre portion of the road from Dhok Ghazan to Shianwali. Subsequently, the Punjab Highway Department contracted out work to a company.

The firm was about to start work when District Naib Nazim Malik Tariq, along with his armed companions, reached the spot and disallowed any work. Now the contractor has approached the nazim to get the issue solved.

Meanwhile, residents of the localities nearby have expressed concern over the incident and hinted at launching protest.

Sources told this correspondent that Malik Tariq, a ruling party man who enjoys a monopoly of transport service on the existing route from Dhok Ghazan to Chakrala and onwards to Mianwali, apprehended that the project might open up another route. The district nazim was not available for comments.

The affected people have appealed to the chief minister to take stock of the situation and save them from inconvenience.