May 19, 2008	Monday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 13, 1429

MANSEHRA, May 18: Shinkiary police booked 10 more landowners of Bakrial for allegedly creating hurdles and threatening officials to stop work on the New Balakot City project.

The Nespak had suspended the ongoing work on roads, streets, hospitals and schools last week when dozens of landowners of the Bakrial area allegedly forced the Nespak to stop work.

Following the threat, police had registered cases against six persons instantly who were sent to jail on judicial remand. However, the police on Sunday registered cases against more landowners.

SURVIVORS DEMAND: The earthquake survivors of Balakot have demanded of the federal government to continue the policies of the previous government in the affected areas of the NWFP.

This demand came during a public meeting held in Balakot on Sunday under the aegis of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) to press the PPP-led coalition government to continue policies of the PML-Q government. Survivors from the 12 union councils of the tehsil participated in the meeting.

“President Pervez Musharraf and PML-Q government did their best for the rehabilitation of the earthquake survivors and reconstruction of the damaged infrastructure in the affected areas,” said one of the speakers.

Among others, District Nazim Sardar Mohammad Yousaf, former opposition leader in the NFFP Assembly Shazada Gustasib Khan, former federal minister Syed Qasim Shah, MPA Wajeeuzzaman Khan, former MPA Mazhar Qasim and tehsil nazim Balakot Syed Junaid Qasim spoke on the occasion.

They denounced the alleged interference of a provincial minister in the ongoing reconstruction and rehabilitation projects worth billions of rupees in the affected areas.