KOHAT: Hundreds of residents of Kachai Town blocked the main Kohat-Hangu Highway to traffic on Monday to protest delay in construction of the road.

The protesters, led by Haji Syed Badshah Gul Shirazi, put stones on the highway and gathered there.

The blockade of road caused heavy traffic congestion as one passenger coach left Kohat for Hangu after every five minutes and the same was the case from other side and direct service from Peshawar.

Badshah Gul said that they had called on the Kohat commissioner, Javed Marwat, last week about construction of road and he assured them that he would constitute a committee within few days to resolve the issue.

He said that they were disappointed as the committee was not formed.

He said that two-year delay in construction of the road forced them to block the highway in protest.

Later, the highway was reopened after the additional assistant commissioner, Nisar Mohammad Khan Khalil, signed a written agreement with the representatives of the protesters that work on construction of the road would be started within two months.

The signatory elders included chairman of Sher Kot village council, Qaiser Ali, chairman of reconciliatory committee police station Ustarzai, Malik Manzar Hussain, Hussain Raza, Himmat Ali and Naseem Abbas.

The highway was reopened following successful negotiations between the protesters and the administration.

TROLLEYS: The chairman of cantonment board, Brig Sohai Riaz, handed over four rickshaw trolleys to the vice-chairman of the newly-elected cabinet of cantonment board.

In a statement issued here the other, day vice-chairman Mohsin Atique, Faqi Ali Shah and Sufian Rehman said that the step had been taken keeping in view

the complaints of the residents about cleanliness in the area.

Speaking on the occasion Brig Sohail appealed to the residents to make efforts for keeping the cantonment clean and cooperate with the staff.

Mr Attique said that the residents should drop waste in the allocated drums in their areas and void putting garbage in the drains.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2022