THE government has, after all, decided to take up the long-awaited project of Gilgit-Skardu Road. The delay in recarpeting and extension of the road in question shattered the people’s hope in the Gilgit-Batistan government. It is now confirmed that the Frontier Works Organisation is all set to go through the project. Certainly, it was news the people were waiting for.

At the same time, the bad news is that re-carpeting that was just started before Eid has now been abandoned. This has triggered a wave of concern among the people.The civil society and the Baltistan Youth Alliance have protested in Skardu, demanding the government to at once restart the work.

The 167km-long Gilgit-Skardu Road is a matter of life and death for the people of Baltistan. Hence its construction is the need of the hour.

It takes more than six hours to reach Skardu from Gilgit owing to the very poor road condition. Tourists have also been suffering while traveling to Skardu to observe its natural beauty.

Shujaat Kamal
Skardu

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2017