ISLAMABAD July 24: MNA Mukhtiar Mani of Muttahida Majlis-i- Amal has threatened to start agitation if the

National Logistics Cell (NLC), the contractors of National Highway Authority, failed to resume construction work on Dargai-Chakdarra highway by July 30.

Talking to a group of newsmen here on Monday, Mr Mani, who had defeated official candidate Salim Saifullah Khan in Malakand agency by-elections, resented the attitude of NHA Chairman Maj-Gen Farrukh Javed who, he said, instead of reassuring him, had wished that Malakand highway was taken over by the provincial government.

He said the highway, particularly the stretch between Dargai and Batkhela, needed immediate reconstruction to provide safe and comfortable passage not only to the whole Malakand division population, but also to the large number of tourists drawn from all parts of the country.

The MNA said the delay and use of light machinery in construction of Rs800 million portion of the highway was a victimisation of the MMA legislators for their opposition to Gen Musharraf’s election.

He said despite the fact that he was assured by the National Logistic Cell high officials that work on metalling of the Malakand hills road would start from July 15, nothing had been done so far.

He said if the NLC did not fulfil its promise by July 30, he would organise a huge protest rally at Batkhela and spread the agitation to whole of Malakand.