Torkhow road: Protest continues in Booni over suspension of work

CHITRAL: The Torkhow-Terich Road Forum (TTRF) rejected the formation of an inquiry committee announced by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly deputy speaker to investigate alleged corruption and illegal advance payments in the Booni-Bozund Road project as the protest in the headquarters of Upper Chitral continued on Friday.

The sit-in protest organized by the TTRF continued in Booni, demanding the resumption of construction work on the long-delayed Torkhow Road. The protest has disrupted daily life in the area.

According to the protesters, work on the Torkhow Road began nearly 15 years ago. Despite expenditures exceeding 1.2 billion rupees, only 7 to 8 kilometers of the road have been constructed - and that too, allegedly with substandard quality.

The demonstrators expressed strong dissatisfaction with the progress and demanded that construction resume only after a formal agreement is signed with the community. They vowed to continue their protest until their demands are met.

Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Abdul Latif was also present at the sit-in and was engaged in negotiations with the protesters.A large number of people from Torkhow had reached Booni to force the government to restart work on Booni-Bozund Road and take to task the official responsible for delay and embezzlement of funds.

Meanwhile, in a statement, the TTRF declared that it does not recognize a committee composed of government officials. “If the Deputy Speaker is truly committed to transparency and accountability, then she must initiate a judicial inquiry to ensure an impartial investigation,” the forum said.

The forum pointed out that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has long championed transparency and accountability, and in the past, the party itself has opposed government-led inquiry committees, citing their potential for bias and influence.

Reiterating its demand, the TTRF called upon the deputy speaker and the provincial PTI government to demonstrate their commitment to anti-corruption by forming a neutral commission led by the judiciary. “We are prepared to present concrete evidence before such a commission and will expose further irregularities in the project,” the forum asserted.