MANSEHRA: The jeep drivers have warned that they will block the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road to traffic if the district administration fails to pay them dues within a week.

“The district government had rented our 100 jeeps for the PK-30 by-election last month but the payments to us haven’t been made yet,” president of the Jeep Drivers Association Mohammad Asif told protesters in Balakot area on Monday.

Leading protesting jeep drivers, Mr Asif said 100 jeeps were hired for six days and the district government had to pay Rs5,000 per day.

“We had visited the assistant commissioner’s office in Balakot for many times to claim payments, but no to avail,” he said.

He warned that the jeep drivers would block the MNJ Road indefinitely if their dues weren’t cleared within a week.

CASE WITHDRAWN: The PML-N on Monday withdrew a case filed with the Election Commission of Pakistan for the unseating of the tehsil nazim and its eight disgruntled tehsil councillors.

The development comes as the nazim and eight councillors tendered an unconditional apology to the PML-N leadership for violating the party’s discipline.

“All of our councillors promised loyalty to the party leadership and sought withdrawal of the floor- crossing case against them. Our leadership accepted the request and ordered the withdrawal of the case,” district president of PML-N Zafar Mehmood told reporters.

Nazim Umar Farooq and eight councillors met PML-N Senator retired general Salahuddin Tirmazi and MNA Mohammad Sajjad Awan and assured them that they won’t violate the party’s discipline in future.

Meanwhile, a Germen delegation on Monday visited different areas of Mansehra to review progress on plantation under the Billion Tree Tsunami project.

The delegation led by Winfriend Suess visited forests in Batrasi, Datta, Chitta Batta, Sawan Mera and Parhana areas and examined saplings planted under the project. Mr Suess lauded the government’s forestation efforts saying they will help preserve environment.

Also in the day, a girl was killed after falling into a well in Pakhwal Chowk here. The incident occurred as the girl was on the way to the house of her.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2019