BATTAGRAM: The commuters are facing hardships due to dilapidated condition of the Silk route linking northern areas of Pakistan and China with lower parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.

The bad condition of the route is a big question mark on the tall claims of PTI-led government in general and special assistant to the CM on prisons, Taj Mohammad Khan in particular, who claimed to focus on development of the district.

Bumpy and rough condition of the road frequently causes blockade of traffic and puts people’s lives in danger.

A trucker moving from Rawalpindi to Gilgit told Dawn that big potholes and cracks in the road were the main hurdle in travelling. He said due to bad shape of the road they were taking more time to reach their destinations.

Another driver of a truck loaded with goods and bound for Skardu, told Dawn that from entrance to the exit of Battagram district the road was in bad shape. He said big ditches in the road made their travel more dangerous.

Locals also lamented the apathy of political leadership and the district administration for not taking interest in resolving public issues. They added that it was nearly impossible for them to take serious patients to the hospital through the bumpy road.

They said many times serious patients moving from Battagram to other districts lost their lives midway.

Mohammad Irfan Khan, a social activist, said infrastructure played a very important role in uplift of the community, through which people accessed the markets, schools, colleges, businesses and hospitals.

He said it was their bad luck that even in the 21st century they were begging political leaders and the district administration to facilitate them and fulfill their basic needs.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2020