Skardu-Gilgit highway is in a poor condition and fatal accidents are a routine phenomenon
KARACHI: The Baltistan region comprises four districts, which has almost half the population of the defacto province of Gilgit-Baltistan. The region connects with Pakistan and rest of Gilgit-Baltistan through the Skardu-Gilgit highway which was built in the late 1960s and the early 1970s. This road is now in poor condition and fatal accidents are a routine phenomenon. The road is also of great importance from the military point of view as the most sensitive borders of the country, Kargil, Siachan, Batalik and the Chourbat border fall in this region where thousands of security forces are deployed for the protection of the homeland.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced the reconstruction of this road soon after elections were held in Gilgit-Baltistan in June 2015. It is very unfortunate that still no fund has been allocated for this mega project and the people of the region are facing much difficulty while travelling on this road, which is a lifeline for the four districts of Baltistan as it is the only source to transport food and basic necessities. I would like to request the prime minister to order the authorities concerned to start work on this road as soon as possible because the people of Gilgit-Baltistan trust in his leadership and have given votes to his party. We hope the PML-N will fulfil its promises.
Muhammad Irfan
Published in The Express Tribune, February 20th, 2016.
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