Bara residents demand reopening of link bridge

BARA: The residents on Monday asked the Corps Commander Lt-Gen Nazeer Ahmad Butt to reopen the link bridge between Akakhel and Sipah tribes in Bara tehsil.

They said the link bridge near the Jhansi Camp in Speen Qabar area had been closed when the militancy was at its peak in the area. The elders expressed concern over closure of the bridge and said the tribesmen had been facing problems for five years. “Despite restoration of peace in Bara, the bridge remains closed,” a tribesman said.

The residents maintained that Merikhel, Maddakhel of the Akakhel tribe were facing a host of problems.

”We have been travelling from Bara Bazaar and
Khajuri via Alamgudar or Sheikhan routes, which
are five kilometres longer,” Khyal Akbar Afridi, a resident said.

He said the government should construct other
link bridges to solve problems being faced by the people. The resident added tribal people had already been affected and deprived of rights, including education, health, business and transportation in prolonged militancy in the agency.

The residents asked Member National Assembly (MNA) Nasir Khan Afridi, Senator Momin Khan Afridi and Sector Commander of Bara Brigadier Arshad Taufeeq to solve public problems.