Residents call off strike

PESHAWAR: The residents of Kalam, Bahrain and other areas in Swat district Saturday announced to call off sit-in after the National Highway Authority (NHA) floated tender for the construction of the Bahrain-Kalam road.

Addressing a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club, the residents, led by Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) Syed Jaffar Shah, president Kalam Hotel Association Dr Abdul Wadood and activists of the political parties, said that the construction of Kalam-Behrain road was initiated with the financial support of the Asian Development Bank.

However, due to corruption and embezzlement in the funds, work on this crucial road project was stopped.

The matter was then taken up at the Senate Standing Committee in 2014 that directed the government to provide more funds for the project.

The Senate body, the residents said, also directed the NHA to forthwith resume work on the road.