Enraged crowd set on fire toll plaza in Balakot

MANSEHRA: An enraged crowd set on fire a toll tax plaza before it could be installed on the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road in the Bisian area of Balakot on Thursday night.

“This toll tax plaza cannot be erected here as it is hardly 50 km away from another toll point at Karakoram Highway in Khatain Da Galla near Mansehra,” Liaqat Hassan, a member of the Balakot Tehsil Council, told reporters on Friday.

The crowd, including transporters, traders, and local community members, gathered in Bisian after a National Highway Authority (NHA) team began installing the plaza to collect toll tax from motorists travelling within Balakot tehsil, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Protesters chanted slogans against the NHA and the government, condemning the move as an attempt to sabotage the tourism industry of Kaghan valley and the rest of Balakot tehsil. They also warned the NHA officials against proceeding with the installation, stating that the Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) Balakot had already passed a resolution barring toll tax collection at this location.

“This is the fifth time locals have foiled an attempt to install this toll tax collection point. However, NHA officials tried to set it up again under the cover of night,” Liaquat said. He claimed that the NHA chairman and general manager were unaware of this attempt to install the plaza.

“NHA Deputy Director Javed Saifullah, along with junior officials, tried to establish this toll collection point, but locals peacefully sent them back and burnt structure and other materials have been shifted to the Balakot police station using TMA vehicles,” he added.