CHITRAL, Jan 24 Traders and drivers have set a three-day deadline for the government to open the Lowari tunnel for public.

A meeting of the unions of traders and drivers, which was held at Drosh on Saturday, decided that they would launch a protest movement, if the government failed to open the tunnel within three days, said a press release faxed to newspaper offices.

The meeting was presided over by traders' union president Haji Muazzam Khan and was attended by a large number of traders and drivers.

They said that the completion of the project had filled the hearts of Chitralis with joy, but they were highly dejected and disappointed as the government had yet to accept their request of allowing them the use of the tunnel.

They said that thousands of passengers were stranded in Chitral and Peshawar and commodities of daily use had run short in the district, which had worsened the situation and the residents of Chitral were passing through difficulties.

They alleged that the National Highway Authority high-ups allow the influential persons to pass through the tunnel, but the poor were denied use of the facility.

They warned that the government cannot escape the wrath of the people, who were highly perturbed over the 'indifference and cold attitude' of the government.