MANSEHRA: A British-era mountaintop picket in Oghi area has fallen into disrepair.

Built by the British Army in Digi mountains in 1860 for surveillance, it gives a broad view of the area but currently, it is littered with rubbish and its boundary walls are broken.

The abandoned surveillance picket stands around 1.5km from the Oghi Fort, which is used by the FC as its headquarters.

Resident Mohammad Osama said the abandoned surveillance picket had become an eyesore due to the neglect of the tehsil administration.

“Standing on this post from British era, we can have a clear visit of Oghi and activities taking place there but it is a picture of neglect. One of its outer walls is broken, while it has rubbish dropped by visitors all over,” he told reporters.

The resident said the British soldiers used to keep a close watch on invaders coming in from the neighbouring Agror and Tanawal area.

He said the picket was an architectural masterpiece of British era as its walls and doors were three to four times thicker than those of the current times.

“The British soldiers used to utilise a tunnel linked with Oghi Fort as a safe way to come here but that tunnel has vanished,” he said.

Other residents said they had contacted the assistant commissioner many times for the repair and maintenance of the picket, but to no avail.

He said if the tehsil administration didn’t preserve the structure, it would be destroyed.

FINED: The district administration on Thursday fined more than 40 public transport drivers and commuters and other people for flouting the pandemic-related standard operating procedures in Lari Adda and other areas here on Thursday.

A team of the district administration led by assistant commissioner Jawad Sardar Marwat visited bus terminals and other public places and fined over 40 transport drivers and passengers and other people for not wearing face masks.

It also warned the people of fine over failure to follow SOPs.

Mr Marwat said it’s mandatory for all those travelling in public transport vehicles to adhere to the standard operating procedures formulated by the government to prevent and control coronavirus, so SOP violators would be deal with strictly.

He said schools, shops and public places were regularly inspected to ensure the SOP enforcement.

Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2021