SWABI, March 7: A large number of people of Tordher staged a protest demonstration against Sui Northern Gas Pipeline (SNGPL) officials for ignoring various areas in the phase-I of providing natural gas to the district.

The protesters, led by MPA Abdul Majid Khan, chanted slogans against SNGPL officials and demanded inclusion of their area in the natural gas supply project. They were carrying placards inscribed with slogans against the federal government.

SNGPL General Manager Imdad Hussain Khalil had announced three days ago during his visit to the district that the federal government had provided Rs110 million for phase-I of the project.

He had said that eight localities, including Sheikh Dheri, Kunda, Swabi Khas and Maneri, had been included in this phase. He had also announced that an SNGPL office would be set up in the district headquarters soon.

Addressing the protesters, MPA Majid Khan said that Tordher, Manki, Jehangira, Jalsai, Jalbai and some other areas had been included in phase-1 but later these were excluded by the officials at the eleventh hour as a result of which a number of areas in the district would remain without the facility of gas.

He said that nothing was being done on merit and even those areas situated near the main Swabi-Jehangira road were being ignored. The protesters demanded that Tordher and other areas situated on the Swabi-Jehangira road should be included in the first phase of the project. They said that if the government failed to do so then they would stage more demonstrations.