MANSEHRA: The Upper Kohistan district administration has demolished around 70 houses to ensure the smooth execution of the 4,300-megawatt Dasu Hydropower Project.

Talking to reporters here on Monday, Deputy Commissioner Azizullah Jan said houses and other structures falling within the construction site were being removed.

“We have so far paid Rs3.5 million each to over 200 affected families, while payments to the remaining around 300 families are also being made under the enhanced self-managed relocation package,” Mr Jan said. He said a total of 500 houses have been marked for demolition.

“It is encouraging that families receiving compensation are extending cooperation to the district administration, enabling the smooth execution of the power project,” he said.

He added that, under the Dasu dam’s public welfare initiatives, schools, healthcare facilities, roads, vocational centres and colleges would also be established for the communities hit by the project.

BODY RECOVERED: The decomposed body of a four-year-old boy, who went missing during the 2005 earthquake, was unearthed on Monday by labourers during the reconstruction of a house in Dehri village of Balakot.

“I lost eight members of my family, including my wife, two sons and two brothers, in the catastrophe, but the whereabouts of my youngest son could not be ascertained at the time. Now, nearly 20 years later, his body has been found during the reconstruction of our old house,” Shafiqur Rehman told reporters.

He said labourers were digging the foundation for the reconstruction of the house when they discovered the remains of his son, Jamal Shafiq.

People from different walks of life gathered at the house, which had collapsed during the earthquake that reduced much of Balakot to rubble.

Around 18,000 people, mostly women and children, lost their lives in the tragedy in the Balakot area.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2026