Toll plaza: Mansehra rejects NHA’s plans

Law and order situation could worsen with construction, says FM Muhammad Yousuf

MANSEHRA: The political leadership as well as elected officials on Sunday rejected the National Highways Authority’s (NHA) plan to build a toll plaza in Mansehra and have warned that the forced construction could affect the law and order situation.

These were the views expressed by the political figures from Mansehra District during a meeting held to discuss the construction issue.

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Muhammad Yousuf presided over the meeting, while parliamentarians including Zahoor Ilahi, Ziaur Rehman, Abrar Tanoli and Saleh Muhammad Khan, local government officials, and members of the transport union were in attendance.

After deliberation, Yousuf said that a unanimous decision was taken to block NHA’s plan to construct the plaza.

He said top leadership will meet representatives of the NHA to convey the resentment of the citizens of Mansehra and if they do not revise their plan, a review petition would be filed with the apex court.

He added that the forcible construction could lead to a deterioration of the law and order situation which could have a debilitating effect on the China-Pak Economic Corridor (CPEC) project as well.

The participants said NHA which was already collecting toll near Shahiya village on GT Road from all vehicles entering the region and should relocate the new toll plaza to Jhari Kass in Haripur.

The federal minister said participants were of the view that the NHA was already collecting toll from Hazara residents and the relocation of Shahiya Toll Plaza would help reduce conflicts with citizens of Mansehra.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 30^th, 2017.