Demand to launch work on strategic Mastuj-Broghil Road

CHITRAL: Expressing concern over the delay in construction of the Mastuj-Broghil Road, the elders on Monday demanded the government to launch work on the strategic route as early as possible or else the people of the area would launch a protest movement.

Addressing a large gathering in the Brep village, the elders, including Shahzada Sikandarul Mulk, Sher wali Khan Aseer, Maulana Ihteshamuddin, Syed Mukhtar Shah, Ahmed Ali and others, said that the dwellers of 30 villages villages had been facing numerous problems due to non-construction of the road since long.

The elders said that several deadly accidents occurred in the recent past due to the dilapidated condition of the road.A metalled road, they pointed out, would not only facilitate the dwellers of 30 villages in the valley but would also help promote tourism and create more economic activities.

“Both the provincial and federal governments take notice of the peoples’ genuine demand before it’s too late,” said Shahzada Sikanadarul Mulk, adding it was one of the safest routes to the central Asian States.

He demanded the authorities concerned to build the road if they were really interested in promotion of tourism in the region.Maulana Ihtesham said that their peaceful struggle for the construction of the road must not be construed as their weakness.

“It takes almost 16 hours to reach Yarkhunlasht from Chitral town due to the poor condition of the road,” he said.The elders threatened to stage sit-ins in Peshawar and Islamabad if no decision was taken about the construction of the road.The participants of the gathering asked leaders of all the political parties from the region to join hands and raise the Mastuj-Broghil Road issue on all relevant platforms.