Road repairs: Residents of Circle Bakote announce protest

ABBOTTABAD:

Residents of villages in Circle Bakote, Abbottabad have announced their decision to protest on Thursday (today) over delays in repairing roads leading to the district from Punjab.

The announcement was made over a loudspeaker in Kohala Bazaar. Locals urged people to join them in the protest.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Circle Bakote Village Council Chairperson Haji Nisar Abbasi said heavy rain had damaged the routes.

“However, the district and provincial governments did not bother to get these roads repaired,” he said.  “During the last 14 days, residents are facing problems travelling to Rawalpindi.”

Shaukat Arbab, another resident, said the district government had repaired a jeep track between Bakote and Kohala six days ago.

“However, villagers prefer travelling on foot to Kohala Suspension Bridge and driving onwards to Rawalpindi,” he said. “This is because the journey through the jeep track can be dangerous.”

He added the old Kohala bridge has been closed for repair work by the government of Azad and Jammu and Kashmir.

Saeed Naseer, another villager, said residents have decided to protest and workers from various political parties have vowed to support them. Abbottabad district nazim Sardar Sher Bahadur said machinery has been sent to the area to clear the clogs on the road. “The provincial government has been asked to disburse funds for repair work,”he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 24^th, 2016.