Flood-stricken people block KKH in Kohistan

MANSEHRA: The people affected by the recent flash floods in Sangai Dubair area in Lower Kohistan, where four people drowned after being stranded in a local stream, on Saturday blocked the Karakoram Highway to press the government to provide relief to them.

“Four people, including two children and a woman, died from gastroenteritis, which broke out because of the natural calamity but federal and provincial governments have not taken any measures to protect human lives,” Maulana Abdul Wahab, Tehsil Chairman of Bunkhat Ranowali, said while addressing protesters at New China Bridge in Dubair in Lower Kohistan.

The protesters chanted slogans against federal and provincial governments and blocked the KKH for over an hour.

Abdul Wahab said that Sanagai Dubair and its adjoining villages were washed away by the recent floods and people were without food and medicines but the government was yet to provide them any relief.

“The people, mostly women and children, are suffering from gastroenteritis but the government has yet to dispatch the health teams for the emergency healthcare services to the affected areas,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Juma Shah Jalali said that people were without food as the floods had washed away everything.

He said four people had died from gastroenteritis and scores of others were suffering from it.

The KKH was restored to traffic after Assistant Commissioner Saqib Ahmad held talks with protesters.

He assured protesters that health teams would be dispatched to the affected areas.

Meanwhile, roads and bridges, which were washed away by the floods couldn’t be rebuilt as a result of which most of Lower Kohistan’s affected areas remained cut off from the Karakoram Highway.