MANSEHRA: The Kaghan residents, whose land and houses were acquired for the Suki Kanari hydropower project, marched on the Kaghan Road in Balakot area on Saturday to protest the nonpayment of compensation.

Shouting slogans, the protesters complained that the district administration got hold of their 1,662 kanals of land and over 480 houses three years ago for the Kunhar River energy project but had yet to make the due payments to most of them.

“We have been pushed from pillar to post to claim compensation,” said Tanveer Hussain Shah.

He also resented 10 per cent tax deduction from the payments made to some landowners.

Another protester, Riaz Hussain Shah, said during a recent meeting with the people affected by the project, the chief minister promised early payment of compensation, but to no avail.

“The CM told us in the presence of his special assistant and MPA Ahmad Hussain Shah that our dues would be cleared shortly, but that hasn’t happened yet,” he said.

Protester Fayyaz Shah warned that if the payments weren’t made within a week, the families affected by the Suki Kanari project would block the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road for an indefinite period.

PTI DISSIDENTS: A disgruntled group of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf led by former district president and candidate for tehsil mayor slot Dr Ashfaq Tanoli will hold a public meeting here today (Sunday).

Dr Ashfaq told reporters on Saturday that the event would be huge success due to the support of the party’s workers and sympathisers.

He said his group was formed after the nomination of the blue-eyed people of parliamentarians for local body elections.

The candidate said he was confident to win the election. He accused the federal and provincial ministers of illegally canvassing and announcing development projects for the PTI candidates. Dr Ashfaq demanded the Election Commission of Pakistan act against such ministers.

HELD: The police busted a gang of robbers here on Saturday.

District police officer Sajjad Khan told reporters here that the arrested men, including Arif Bashir of Gujranwala, Shahzad Ahmad Wah cantonment and Kamran Sarfraz of Haripur, used to impersonate taxi drivers and loot commuters.

He said the arrests were made on the complaint of Baja resident Mohammad Yusuf, who said he was deprived of Rs150,000 by the gang at gunpoint.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2022