SHANGLA: Former provincial minister and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Shaukat Yousafzai on Saturday inaugurated the construction and black-topping of the nine-kilometre Spino Obon-Bazaar Kot Road.

The project, estimated to cost Rs95 million, is expected to serve as a vital link between the popular hill station of Malam Jabba and the Shangla district.

Addressing the ceremony, which was attended by PTI district leaders and local government representatives, speakers highlighted the importance of the infrastructure for the region’s economic landscape.

PTI local leader Nawaz Mahmood Khan, Alpuri tehsil chairman Waqar Ahmed Khan, tehsil chairman Sadidur Rehman and others attended the ceremony.

Local elders and PTI activists maintained that the project would reduce travel time for tourists.

“This project will help boost tourism and create jobs for the youth besides easing transportation of goods,” a resident said.

The road is expected to provide an alternative route for travellers, potentially diverting traffic from congested main arteries and opening up previously inaccessible areas of the district to the tourists.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2026