SWABI: After getting no response to their requests for road repair from the public representatives, the residents of Katgram village in mountainous Gadoon Amazai region have started reconstruction of the dilapidated portion of nine-kilometre road to their area on self-help basis.

The road also links four other villages, including Achilay, Kolagar, Serai and Shny.

Abdul Salam, a resident of Katgram, told this correspondent on Wednesday that the road from Deval village to Katgram and onward had been lying broken for the last few years.

He said that they had been urging the leaders of political parties and the communication and works department to repair the road, but did not get a positive response.

He said that the residents of these villages had been facing problems due to the dilapidated road in commuting and transportation of goods.

The villagers recalled that the road was built about 15 years ago and now it was in bad shape and unfit for use.

They said that they had urged the area MPA in previous government and then National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and MPA Rangaiz to approve funds for the road project. They said that they had now called on the people to collect donations for the road repair.

The residents demanded of the elected representatives to visit the area and order resolution of their problems, including reconstruction of the road.

ISSUE RESOLVED: The Razaar tehsil press club members and district police on Wednesday agreed to cooperate with each other.

Local mediapersons said that a misunderstanding between them had surfaced soon after the arrest of Siraj Yousafzai, general secretary of the press club, when his house was raided without any reason. Mr Siraj was kept in Kalu Khan police station for about four hours and later released.

The members of the club, led by Mr Siraj, met with district police officer Imran Shahid and after the meeting they said that the issue had been resolved.

Published in Dawn, January 23rd, 2020