KHYBER: Continued closure of a Benazir Income Support Programme centre in Landi Kotal forced scores of local women to block the main Peshawar-Torkham Highway here on Friday.

The protesting women alleged that the centre was shut down without any specific reason. They said that they were in dire need of monetary support as they were faced with financial crises in the month of Ramazan.

They alleged that they were also denied full payment of the stipend as the network operators unlawfully deducted Rs500 to Rs1,000 from their amount.

The protesting women agreed to reopen the road after local police and administration officials promised them to push for the reopening of the BISP centre.

Meanwhile, Khyber district police officer Waqar Ahmad on Friday inaugurated the newly-established police facilitation centre in Bara, the second of its type after Jamrud.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Ahmad said that residents of Bara, Tirah, Akkakhel, Zakhakhel and Upper Bara had difficulties in coming to Shah Kas centre, and thus the new facility in Bara would enable them to avail 25 different facilities under one roof.

He said a similar centre would soon be established in Landi Kotal in order to provide the much-needed facilities of domicile, driving licence, clearance certificates, lost and found documents and driving licence at their doorstep.

Published in Dawn, March 14th, 2026