Rs1b sought for completion of housing project

MANSEHRA: Residents of Balakot living in makeshift shelters have threatened to launch an agitation against the federal government, which they said didn’t release Rs1 billion for completion of New Balakot City housing project.

“We thought our miseries would come to an end when the former chief justice took suo motu notice and visited Balakot but now the federal government is creating hurdles in New Balakot City scheme,” Tahir Khan, the chairman of survivors’ rights movement of the red zone, told reporters in Balakot on Saturday.

In January this year, the former CJ asked the federal government to release Rs1 billion for completion of the housing project but the federal government refused to release the amount.

“We have evolved a strategy to take to the streets to protest against the federal government and the movement would be initiated following Ramazan,” he added.

Tahir said that if needed, they would block Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad road till the mega housing project is completed and allotment letters awarded to more than 5,600 survivor families.