Shangla residents protest slow work on road.

SHANGLA -- Residents of Pir Abad blocked the Bisham-Swat Road at Bada Gata on Monday to protest slow pace of work on a local road.

The protesters chanted slogans against the contractor and the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority.

The protesters claimed that the tenders for the road project were floated after 2005 and funds had also been released, but the road was yet to be constructed.

Mohammad Alam, a protest participant, alleged that contractors in Shangla were involved in corruption backed by local Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leaders. He demanded an inquiry into delay in the road project.

The Bisham-Swat Road remained blocked for three hours due to which commuters faced hardships.

Meanwhile, additional deputy commissioner Maqbool Hussain, assistant commissioner, Alpuri, Wajid Ali and police personnel reached the spot and held negotiations with the protesters, assuring them that a probe would be launched into the matter. Afterwards, the protesters dispersed.

JIRGA BLASTS GOVT: A jirga on Monday urged the provincial government to honour its commitment made with the core committee of Bisham regarding speedy investigation into the murder case of Kolai Pallas district education officer Nawab Ali and awarding exemplary punishment to the killers.

The jirga was called by the core committee in Bisham, three months after the assassination of the education officer, who belonged to...