BAJAUR: Players and sports fans on Sunday showed concern over the slow-paced renovation work on the Bajaur Sports Complex, and warned to hold a protest demonstration if the job was not completed without delay.

Talking to reporters here, they said renovation work had been launched some two years ago, but was yet to be complete.

Bajaur Cricket Association president Mohammad Ismail said the senior officials of the district administration and works and roads department had told them at the inauguration of the renovation work in October 2019 that the project would be complete in a year, but 25 per cent of the work was lying incomplete.

Mr Ismail said renovation of sports complex included provision of modern facilities, including installation of floodlights.

Waheed Arman Khan, a cricketer, said the unnecessary delay in renovation of the complex had badly disappointed the players and sports fans. He said work had been stopped for last several days due to unknown reasons. He said the people had decided to block the main Khar-Peshawar Road in a protest if work on the project was not expedited.

Izharul Haq, former general secretary of Bajaur Cricket Association, and head of a local coaching academy, expressed concern over delay in completion of work on the complex.

He said closure of the sports complex on account of the construction activity had deprived the players and sports fans of playing and enjoying games inside the complex for last two years.

The players and sports fans also raised alarm over lack of official check on the quality of work.

Sources in the relevant department said the project had been delayed due to lack of funds.

WEAPONS RECOVERED: Security forces on Sunday claimed to have foiled a sabotage bid by recovering a cache of weapons and explosives in a hilly area of Mamond tehsil.

Official sources said the cache was seized from Maanoo Jangal area during an intelligence-based search operation. They said after receiving information about presence of weapons and explosives, a team of security forces moved to the area, and recovered the consignment.

The officials claimed the weapons were meant to be used against attacks on security forces by the terrorists belonging to the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2021