MANSEHRA: The Kaghan Development Authority on Tuesday formally stopped visitors from going to Siri Paye area in Shogran tourist resort in their own cars.

“The Shogran-Siri Paye Road is highly dilapidated, so tourists are no more allowed to drive on it for their own safety,” KDA environmental inspector Moazzam Khan told reporters on Tuesday.

The ban came following the killing of two brothers from Balochistan and the injury of their family members in a accident on the road earlier this week.

The Siri Paye area stands more than 10,000 feet above the sea level.

The official said tourists couldn’t take their vehicles beyond Shogran area and if they were to go move, they could use local jeeps, which had the capacity to reach Siri Paiy without trouble and whose drivers had skills for such journeys.

He also warned the drivers not adopting SOPs or overcharging tourists would be fined.

Meanwhile, the district administration launched a crackdown on transporters overcharging commuters.

Assistant commissioner Marvi Malik fined drivers of over two dozen public transport vehicles at the Badra Interchange on the overcharging complaints of commuters.

PARKS DEMANDED: Former tehsil naib nazim Qazi Zahidullah has demanded of the provincial government to create public parks and playgrounds in Oghi area and its suburbs.

“We had prepared a master plan to develop Oghi city and its suburbs but it couldn’t be implemented,” he told reporters on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, protesters blocked the Karakoram Highway against the shortage of staff at the National Database and Registration Authority in Shinkiari area.

The protesters gathered on the KKH and blocked it to traffic demanding appointment of the required employees.

They dispersed peacefully later on after deputy superintendent of police JehanzebTanoli showed up and promised to take up their problems with the relevant authorities.

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2022