MANSEHRA: The residents of Balakot tehsil on Thursday took to the streets on the 15th anniversary of the 2005 earthquake and blocked the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road for over eight hours demanding the allotment of plots in the New Balakot City housing project without further delay.

“We want the immediate allotment of plots at the New Balakot City housing project and reconstruction of health and educational facilities, which were destroyed or damaged 15 years ago,” trader leader Javed Iqbal told the rally.

Activists of the New Balakot Tehreek also blocked the MNJ Road at Ayub Bridge suspending traffic withing Mansehra district and between Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The road users remained stranded in long queues of vehicles.

Trader leader Javed Iqbal regretted that the successive governments ignored the problems of Balakot red zone’s residents.

Another speaker, Mian Ashraf, said the residents of Balakot rejected public-private partnership for the development of the New Balakot City project and demanded the immediate allotment of plots in the scheme in line with the Supreme Court ruling.

15th anniversary of 2005 earthquake observed

The protesters stayed put from 9am to around 5pm and cleared the road after district police office Sadiq Baloch held talks with them.

Commissioner Riaz Mahsud also spoke to protesters over the mobile phone and promised the early resolution of their problems.

Special prayers were offered at the mass graves of the 2005 earthquake victims.

OUT-OF-SCHOOL CHILDREN: Federal education minister Shafqat Mahmood on Thursday said over 20 million children were out of school in the country and their enrolment was a big challenge for the government.

He was addressing an investiture ceremony at the Pakistan Scouts Cadet College, Batrasi, here.

Principal retired Brigadier Abdul Hafiz also addressed the event, where cadets and parents were in attendance.

The minister said the government had closed educational institutions after the outbreak of coronavirus and reopened them following a substantial decline in virus incidence.

He called for the strict enforcement of standard operating procedures in schools and colleges to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Mr Mahmood administered the oath to the newly-appointed commanders, pinned insignias on their shoulders, and witnessed swimming competitions.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2020