MANSEHRA: The Frontier Works Organisation and a Chinese company working on the Dasu power project on Wednesday began rebuilding a flood-hit part of the Karakoram Highway and Ichar Nullah bridge in Upper Kohistan district.

The highway portion and nullah bridge were washed away by downpour-induced flash floods two weeks ago suspending traffic between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Assistant commissioner of Upper Kohistan district Waheed Ahmad Mughal visited the area and examined work on the highway and bridge.

He said the district administration would ensure early completion of work for the smooth flow of traffic between KP and GB.

Mr Mughal said a Chinese company working on the Dasu power project was also taking part in the reconstruction of the highway and bridge.

THREE KILLED: Three people, including minor children, were killed in separate incidents here on Wednesday.

Driver Mohammad Ibrahim was killed and 10 members of his family critically injured after the jeep they travelled in fell into a deep ravine in Darband area on Wednesday.

The accident occurred after the driver lost control of the jeep on a sharp turn of the road.

The family was on the way to Tarbela Lake on a recreational trip from the Oghi area.

Doctors of the Darband civil hospital referred the injured to Mansehra’s King Abdullah Teaching Hospital due to critical condition.

Meanwhile, a seven-year-old boy was run over and killed by a speeding van on the Karakoram Highway in Gandhian area here.

Ibrahim Gulzar had the accident crossing the highway. The police registered an FIR and began searching for the van driver. Also in the day, a minor girl lost life after drowning in a water tank here.

Ayesha Niaz, 4, fell into the tank while playing on the street with friends.

RELOCATION: Residents of Galla area in Kaghan valley on Wednesday began moving to safe places after landslides threatened their lives.

Villager Shahid Shah Tirmazi told reporters in Balakot area that rocks and boulders rolled down the mountain near houses following the recent downpour. He said residents were moving out of the village to safety.

The villager said the “movement” of mountains threatened houses, panicking residents.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2023