PPP says PML-N seeks support for by-poll

MANSEHRA: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has approached Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) for seeking its support for the PK-30 by-election.

Tough competition is expected between ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and its arch rival PML-N next month.

“The PML-N’s delegation visited us. They wanted us to withdraw our aspirant in support of their contender,” Mohammad Fareed, the general secretary of PPP, told reporters on Sunday.

He said a delegation of PML-N, which was led by its aspirant in PK-30 Mazhar Ali Qasim, met PPP office-bearers in the presence of district president Malik Farooq and asked that PPP withdraw its contender, Chaudhry Abdul Aziz from the race.

“We told them to re-visit us on January 15 so that we can contact our party leadership at the provincial and federal level,” said Mohammad Fareed.

Traffic between KP, GB restored: The vehicular traffic between the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan, which was suspended some two days ago after landsliding, was restored after a Chinese company cleared boulders from Karakoram Highway (KKH) in Upper Kohistan on Sunday.

The passengers, who were stranded on both sides of KKH left for respective destinations as soon as the highway was cleared by the Chinese company at Dogha area in Upper Kohistan.

The highway had blocked to all sort of traffic on Friday evening when boulders detached from mountains rolled down on the KKH in Dogha area some 25km north of Dassu, the district headquarters Upper Kohistan.

According to locals, the persistent rains and snowfall in upper parts of Hazara hampered rescue activities and many links roads couldn’t be cleared to traffic as yet.

Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad road remained blocked for all sorts of traffic on the third consecutive day near Kaghan on Sunday creating difficulties for the locals.

Police complaint cell: The Mansehra Police has established a complaint cell to ensure a quick response to complainants in the district.

“It has been happening for the first time that this complaint cell would be supervised by a high-ranking police official,” Mukhtar Khan, the additional superintendent of police told reporters after inaugurating the cell here on Sunday.

He said that complaints would be received in writing directly, and through SMS at the newly established cell. “On receiving complaints, we would initiate the process forthwith to dispense speedy justice to the complainants,” the official said. He said drastic changes were incorporated in existing policing system and establishment of such complaint cell across the province was part of it.