MANSEHRA: Eight labourers working on Dasu hydropower project were buried alive after their vehicle was struck by a huge landslide in Zero Point area of Upper Kohistan in wee hours of Tuesday.

“We have pulled out bodies of all the eight victims and handed them over to their families,” Abdul Saboor Khan, Upper Kohistan district police officer, told reporters.

The labourers were on way to Dasu, the headquarters of Upper Kohistan, from the dam site after work when their vehicle was hit by landslide on the Karakoram Highway.

The local people and police rushed to the scene and retrieved bodies after hectic efforts of many hours and shifted them to civil hospital in Dasu.

Those killed in the tragedy were identified as Hamat Mir, Sowan, Mohammad Ghani, Mohammad Riaz, Abdul Malik, Malook Badshah, Saifur Rehman and Shabir Ahmad.

People block the highway, seek compensation for families

“We have started an investigation into how the incident occurred,” said DPO Saboor.

Meanwhile, the angry people of Kohistan took to the streets later in the day and blocked the KKH in protest against Wapda. They also offered funeral prayers of the victims on the road and demanded compensation for the bereaved families of the workers.

“We will not reopen the highway to vehicular traffic until Wapda announces compensation for the bereaved families,” said a speaker while addressing charged protesters.

He alleged that landslides were triggered because of the heavy blasting being carried out in the region by a Chinese company.

“The general manger of Dasu dam and I have started parlays with protesters to convince them to clear the highway,” said Mr Saboor, adding: “I am optimistic the highway will soon be opened to vehicular traffic.”

He said two sessions of talks had already been held with the protesters and hoped the third session would prove successful to convince the protesters to end the KKH blockade.

ROAD ACCIDENT: A man was killed and another sustained critical injuries when a van plunged into a ravine in Asharya area of Torghar on Tuesday.

The vehicle was on way to Judbah from Oghi when the driver while negotiating a sharp turn lost control over the steering.

The locals rushed to scene and shifted the bodies to a nearby hospital where doctors pronounced Shamsur Rehman dead.

Police after lodging FIR started investigation to ascertain the exact cause of the accident.

Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2019