MANSEHRA: The Mansehra police have withdrawn their decision to stop traffic between Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Muharram 9 and 10.

“We’d decided to stop traffic between Mansehra and Chilas (GB) but now the decision has been withdrawn and therefore, traffic between the two regions will move on as usual on Muharram 9 and 10 without interception,” assistant superintendent of police Arif Javed told reporters here on Wednesday.

The ASP said there would no restriction on vehicles moving between GB and KP though Karakoram Highway and Mansehra-Naran-JalkhadRoad.

Mansehra police finalise security measures for Muharram 9, 10

Earlier, Mr Javed chaired a meeting attended by deputy superintendents of police, station house officers and heads of the Special Branch.

He briefed participants regarding about security measures for Muharram 9 and 10 in the district.

“We have finalised security arrangements and will have to be vigilant to maintain law and order on Ashura,” he said.

The ASP said Afghan refugees had been restricted to camps, while security personnel had been deployed in and around imambargahs across the district.

“We will ensure high security for mourning processions to prevent mishap,” he said.

The meeting was also attended by SP (investigation) Mohammad Salman.

PAYMENTS DEMANDED: The people, whose land was acquired for the Hazara motorway, have demanded the immediate payments.

“Our land has been acquired for Hazara motorway, while the rest has been divided into parts depriving us of means of livelihood. The National Highway Authority is not ready to link populations by overhead bridges or underpasses,” landowner Zafar Iqbal Khan told reporters on Wednesday about his meeting with deputy commissioner Mohammad Zubair.

Member of the district council Siraj Khan said the land for the project had been acquired at throwaway price and therefore, the price should be reviewed.

“We not only want market price for our land but we also call for ways to cross the Hazara motorway, which has divided villages,” he said.

He said two years had passed after the acquisition of land for the project but they had yet to be provided with due payments.

Mr Siraj said the deputy commissioner had assured lawmakers of taking up the matter with the relevant authorities.

GIRL DROWNS: A minor girl drowned in the Kunhar River in Naran area of Kaghan valley on Wednesday.

A boy allegedly pushed the three-year-old into the water when she was playing with her sister on the bank of the river.

The people present on the occasion jumped into the river to get the girl but failed.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2018