MANSEHRA: Transporters and traders on Thursday observed a wheel-jam and shutdown strike, demanding an early resumption of work on a key road here.

“The communication and works department had dug up the Abbasi Chowk-Lari Adda Road for blacktopping some two years ago, but couldn’t reconstruct it as yet, as a result, traffic remains jammed the entire day,” Jan Alam, president of the transporters’ union, Hazara division, told the protesters.

The transporters and traders gathered on the road, which links Mansehra with Abbottabad, and blocked it to traffic for over two hours. They raised slogans in support of their demands and against the C&W department.

The passengers remained stranded in buses and coaches for long.

“We have time and again met the deputy commissioner and C&W chief engineer seeking the resumption of work on the road, but to no avail,” Mr Alam deplored.

He said gravel put on the artery hampered the traffic flow and damaged vehicles. “The traders are also suffering because of flying dust and rocks,” Mr Alam said.

The road was cleared to traffic after assistant commissioner Zia Qamar and C&W sub-divisional officer Shad Mohammad Khan held talks with the protesters, assuring them that work on the road would resume soon.

Also on Thursday, the public transporters announced a cut in fares following the federal government’s decision to significantly slash prices of petroleum products.

“We have passed on the relief of cut in oil prices to commuters travelling from here to rest of the country,” Pervez Khan, general secretary of Hazara transporters’ union, told reporters.

Flanked by other office-bearers of the body, Mr Khan said they welcomed the government’s decision to reduce petroleum products’ prices as people were facing the worst inflation.

Meanwhile, Torghar police launched a crackdown on drug peddlers and seized charas and other contraband from them the other day.

District police officer Mohammad Ishtiaq Khan ordered the crackdown in Judbah and Kunder Hassanzai tehsils.

Parties led by SHOs of respective police stations raided dens of narcotics peddlers and seized charas and opium.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2023