NORTH WAZIRISTAN: Unidentified persons set fire to heavy construction machinery on a major road between Ghulam Khan and Mirali here on Sunday.

The road is meant to connect Ghulam Khan – a border crossing route to Afghanistan - with the Western Route, a component of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

The Frontier Works Organization, a construction subsidiary of Pakistan Army, and other contractors are building the vital highway in North Waziristan.

A contractor, Mohammad Farooq Dawar told the media that around 20 masked men took the drivers and construction workers hostage, tied them up with ropes and proceeded to set fire to the machinery.

“The attackers sprinkled petrol on the machinery before setting it on fire,” he said. The machinery destroyed in the fire included heavy excavators, road rollers and bulldozers, he added. The incident occurred in Tolkhel area where the machinery was parked at a compound complex.

Mr Dawar, who did not have any clue as to the identity of the attackers, said he had not received any threat before the incident.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2021