MANSEHRA: The district administration on Wednesday stopped people from travelling between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan via the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road at night.

“We, in consultation with the administration of the neighbouring GB district of Chilas, imposed a ban on the 6pm-morning journey on the MNJ Road between KP and GB for the protection of travellers from monsoon rains,”deputy commissioner Bilal Shahid Rao told reporters.

He also said police had been deployed at the Babusar Top to enforce the ban.

The DC said the Mansehra and Chilas administrations unanimously allowed night travel on the MNJ Road in light of the influx of tourists during Eid days, but the permission had been withdrawn as monsoon rains could trigger landslides in Kaghan Valley.

Meanwhile, Lower Kohistan deputy commissioner Mohammad Rafique visited Ranowalia and Dubair areas and examined the situation after heavy rains.

DC insists ban slapped over landslide fears

He also went to a local stream, which was flooded following the release of water from the Dubair Khawar reservoir.

Mr Rafique directed officials to immediately take measures to protect public life and property from monsoon rains.

FLOUR PRICE UNCHECKED: The residents have complained about the high flour price in Mansehra district.

Oghi trader Ilyas Tanoli told reporters that wheat harvesting was under way in Hazara division and flour was also coming in from Punjab, but even then, flour price had surged to Rs800 per 40kg in the local market.

He said a 40kg flour bag was sold for Rs5,600 in Mansehra, Balakot, Oghi, Baffa-Pakhal and Darband tehsils though its price was Rs4,800 lately.

Resident Mohammad Ajmal also complained about a surge in flour price and demanded effective price control.

KILLED: A man was killed and six suffered critical injuries when a passenger vehicle fell into a ravine in Jabori area here on Wednesday.

The accident occurred after the driver lost control of the vehicle while negotiating a sharp road turn on the way from Ghesuch to Mansehra.

The people shifted the injured to the Shinkiari civil hospital, where doctors declared Mohammad Rafaqat dead and referred the injured, including Mohammad Abrar, Mohammad Safeer, Mohammad Abu Bakar, Mohsin Ali, Mohammad Yaseen and Aisha Bibi, to the Ayub Medical Complex Abbottabad due to serious condition.

In another incident, an elderly man was run over and killed by a speeding car on the Karakoram Highway in Dodial area.

Faizan Shah succumbed to injuries at the King Abdullah Teaching Hospital.

Meanwhile, six people were seriously injured after two vehicles collided head-on on the Hazara Expressway in Hairan area here.

The injured were taken to the King Abdullah Teaching Hospital, whose doctors referred three of them to the Ayub Medical Complex Abbottabad due to critical condition.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2023