Residents stage rally against closure of road

HANGU: The dwellers of Khattak Banda staged a rally against blockade of the road by armed men from the local tribe.

Speaking on the occasion, Village Council Chairman Azid Rehman, Ajab Khan, Akbar Khan and others said that thousands of people had been suffering due to the closure of the road. “The armed persons have blocked the government road leading to Khattak Banda for the past one month,” said one of the speakers.

The protesters alleged that the local authorities as well as the MNA and MPA had failed to resolve the issue despite repeated appeals. The demonstrators warned that they would escalate their protest and begin shutting down the gas supply from MOL Gas Company starting tomorrow if their demands are not met.

Meanwhile, the district administration held negotiations with the protesters under the supervision of the peace committee. The talks were reportedly successful, and the people of Khattak Banda agreed to a three-day deadline for a resolution. The administration and peace committee assured the protesters that the issue would be resolved within that time-frame.