Protesters want Swat roads cleared of snow.

MINGORA/SHANGLA -- The residents of Utror, Gabral, Matiltan, Palogah area staged a protest against the government for its failure to clear the roads blocked by heavy snowfall for the last two weeks.

Holding posters inscribed with demands, the protesters gathered at Nishat Chowk in Mingora where the workers and local leaders of ANP, PML-N, PkMAP and PPP also joined them.

The protesters said that about 20,000 residents of Utror, Gabral, Gujar Gabral, Ushu, Matiltan and Palogah were stranded due to the closure of roads.

They said that the areas were cut off from the rest of the country due to heavy snowfall.

They added that local people faced difficulties owing to shortage of food and medicines.

Life disrupted in Shangla's snowbound areas

Syed Mohammad, a resident of Utror, said that the only road to the area was blocked by heavy snowfall.

He said despite claims by the district administration and provincial government, the road remained closed.

Abdullah Sadiq, a resident of Gabral, said that the 17-kilometre road from Kalam to Gabral had been blocked to traffic for two weeks and people were in great troubles.

'The main road between Kalam and Gabral has been closed for about two weeks now. We face acute shortage of daily use items including food and medicines in our area due to the closure of road. The stock of food is running out and soon the area will completely run short of food items,' he said.

The protesters said that patients in the areas were also in great trouble as they faced shortage of medicines. They said that stray dogs bit many people but there were no vaccines in the area.

Mohsinul Mulk, a resident of Utror, said that for more than 12 days the road in the area had been closed. 'The government failed to clear the 14-kilometre road from Kalam to...