ABBOTTABAD, Aug 15: Traffic between Muzaffarabad and Abbottabad was suspended for more than three hours when hundreds of people of the union councils of Nambal and Bakot blocked the main road at the famous Kohala Bridge falls on Friday.

The protesters were demanding early start of the construction of the road from Nambal to Molian. According to them, funds had already been allocated by a Japanese agency and tenders had also been floated, but the NWFP government had failed to release the work orders.

The local administration tried to reopen the road, but the demonstrators demanded the assurance of some high authority regarding the release orders.

The deputy speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Mohammad Yaqoob, rushed to the spot and was able to disperse the crowd after giving them firm assurance of getting the orders by Sept 10.

Earlier, the Nazim of the union council, Nambal, Gulzar Abbasi, also spoke to the protesters and backed their demand.