Jirga demands opening of Battagram-Mansehra section of CPEC route.

BATTAGRAM -- A jirga on Saturday demanded opening of the Battagram-Mansehra section of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

The jirga was convened by political parties after security officials deployed at Mansehra checkpost of the CPEC section did not allow an ambulance carrying body of Shah Alam, child specialist at the district headquarters hospital, Battagram, who had died of Covid-19 in Islamabad, and was being shifted to his home town.

The jirga was attended by former tehsil nazims Niaz Mohammad Khan and Khanzada Zaffar Ali Khan, PML-N`s Mahajareen, Maulana Fariduddin of JUI-F, Khalid Khan of JI, Ayaz Torkhel of ANP, Nisar Mohammad Khan of QWP, Amal Shah of PTI and others.

The participants criticised the officials for their `inhuman` act, saying Dr Shah Alam was the real hero of the nation, who fought on the frontlines against Covid-19 saving many lives, but the government did not recognise his services.

They pointed out that construction work on the Battagram-Mansehra section of CPEC had been completed and there was no reason to stop people from travelling on it.

They said the local people had provided their agricultural lands, sacrificed homes, schools, seminaries for the mega project, but now they were not allowed to use the route despite its completion.

The jirga members asked the government to take action against the officials involved in the act within three...