Bahrain residents criticise ban on reconstruction of flood-hit properties.

SWAT -- Residents of Bahrain tehsil of Swat have demanded of the authorities to lift the Section 144, allowing them to reconstruct their flood-hit hotels, shops and houses.

They made the demand during a meeting held in Bahrain Bazaar the other day.

Prominent among those in attendance were former provincial minister Malak Deedar Khan, president of Bahrain hotel association Haji Merajuddin, president of traders' federation Khan Zada, Malak Jahangir, Bashir Khan and Bakht Nawaz.

They said the August 2022 floods had washed away hotels, shops, houses and other properties in the Bahrain Bazaar. They, however, regretted that the district administration had imposed the Section 144, banning any construction activity along the Swat River.

'We constructed hotels about 50 years ago after fulfilling all the legal requirements, but now the authorities have declared our hotels illegal. These buildings are legal as they are registered with the revenue department,' said a participant, adding Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and the Malakand division commissioner had multiplied miseries of the flood-hit people by imposing the restriction on...