News
Monday, October 17, 2011
Bhasha Dam land compensation issueKohistan residents continue sit-in on KKH on 4th day
By Abdul Khaliq Qureshi
ABBOTTABAD: The Kohistan residents, mostly ulema, are continuing their protest by staging sit-in on Karakoram Highway and blocking the road at Tatyal district, Kohistan for the last four consecutive days against transfer of 4,000 kanals of land to Gilgit-Baltistan residents.
Despite hectic efforts of the local administration the protesters didn’t agree to end the road blockade due to which all kind of traffic remained blocked seeking immediate attention of the provincial government.
A special team of officials sent by the local administration to the venue for dialogue with the protesters failed to bring normalcy, sources told Daily Times here on Sunday.
The passengers of busses trapped on the route are facing a lot of problems, especially of food and health. Trucks full of vegetables and fruits are desperately waiting for opening of the highway, as their loads are rotting, said the sources.
They said a clash between the protestors and people trapped on the road was likely if the situation could not be timely handled. The people of Kohistan district have unanimously decided to take guns in their hands due to which various human lives could be lost if they opened fire, they added.
The people of Kohistan are demanding exclusive ownership of 4,000 kanals of land transferred to residents of Gilgit-Baltistan, saying that settlement of the issue of compensation and ownership was first and foremost duty of the government before acquiring the land in question for Bhasha Dam. They are also demanding removal of a police chowki established in Kohistan district. The protestors have vowed to continue their protest till acceptance of their demands.
The provincial government has decided to inaugurate the work on Bhasha Dam in the presence of President Asif Ali Zardari and the Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in couple of days.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk