Residents forcibly stop work on motorway

MANSEHRA: The residents on Wednesday forcibly stopped work on Mansehra-Shinkiari section of the motorway for eight hours in protest against the change in the master plan of the project.The motorway is being built under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.The protesters were chanting slogans against change in the motorway master plan, which according to them cut off many towns and localities with main artery and towns.“As per the master plan, an underpass beneath the motorway near New Balakot City housing project was a feature of this strategic route but the National Highway Authority changed the plan, and this will cut off many towns and localities with Shinkiari and Mansehra,” said Asim Shahzad, the president of the Jamaat-e-Islami youth wing.He said that protesters would not allow any sort of work on the motorway project until their demand was met and the underpass constructed. The daylong protest compelled NHA Director Ziauddin and a heavy police contingent to rush to the scene and hold talks with the protesters. The demonstrators reopened the motorway after Ziauddin assured them that his department would follow the master plan and an underpass would be built within two weeks.

from The News International - Peshawar https://ift.tt/2UsRu0H