Chitral residents end protest as demands met

CHITRAL: The residents of Torkhow tehsil and Tirich on Monday ended called off sit-in after two days following successful negotiations with the administration and acceptance of all demands.

The people of Torkhow and Tirich Union Council in Upper Chitral had launched a protest sit-in at the district headquarters in Booni against the delay in the construction of the Booni-Bezund road and the delaying tactics of the Communication and Works Department and contractors.

Despite two written agreements regarding the road’s construction and prepayments in violation of the rules, the contractor allegedly in connivance with the C&W Department and its executive engineer, failed to complete the road construction according to the work plan. Elders elected local representatives, and members of the Torkhow Tirich Road Forum participated in the sit-in, which saw thousands of people braving chilling cold.

The protest concluded after successful negotiations with the Upper Chitral Deputy Commissioner Haseebur Rehman and other officials. The administration accepted all the demands.The DC assured the protestors that large dumpers would replace the smaller trucks at the site, saying that deliberate negligence in the Booni-Bezund Road construction by the C&W Department and the contractor would not be tolerated.