MANSEHRA: The Lower Kohistan district administration has asked Wapda to ensure the early execution of the Dubair-Ranowalia Road, which was washed away in the 2023 flash floods, and to keep the previous track open to traffic until the blacktopping is completed.

“According to an agreement signed with the residents of Dubair, Wapda is bound to reconstruct the 22km road and ensure the movement of four-wheelers on the previous flood-hit track by repairing it,” deputy commissioner Tariq Mehmood told a meeting held at his office in Pattan on Saturday.

The director general and the chief engineer of the Dasu hydropower project, technical heads of the Dubair hydropower station, and the executive engineer of the communication and works department, Lower Kohistan, also attended the meeting.

The C&W department’s executive engineer informed the meeting that the tendering process for the reconstruction of the Dubair-Ranowalia Road was underway, payments to the landowners had been made, and the previous track was also being kept open for traffic.

Official says tendering process for project under way

The residents of Dubair and Ranowalia had recently ended their two-month-long sit-in seeking reconstruction of the artery after Wapda released Rs500 million for land acquisition for the project.

Meanwhile, the deputy commissioner told reporters that the district administration was working to clear all roads blocked by landslides triggered by recent rains.

SECURITY OF CHINESE WORKERS: The police have enhanced the security of the Chinese engineers and workers executing two energy projects in the Balakot tehsil.

“I am here to review the multilayered security arrangements put in place for the protection of the Chinese engineers working on the Balakot and Suki Kinari hydropower projects,” Balakot SP Sabir Khan told reporters on Saturday.

He reviewed the internal and external security arrangements at the energy projects and directed the personnel deployed there to remain vigilant.

“The security of the Chinese nationals is our top priority. You should remain more vigilant and not allow strangers near the project sites,” Mr Khan told the personnel.

“The movement of Chinese engineers and workers should remain limited to their workplaces for safety purposes,” the SP said.

Meanwhile, the Darband police seized timber allegedly being smuggled to another area of the Hazara division.

“Acting on a tip-off that wooden logs were being smuggled from Darband to another location, we intercepted a vehicle and seized timber from it,” SHO Darband police station Mohammad Nadeem said.

DENGUE CONTROL: The Upper Kohistan administration, in collaboration with the health department, plans to launch awareness sessions and other measures to contain the dengue outbreak in the district.

“We have to take extra measures to contain the dengue outbreak following the first spell of monsoon rains across the district,” deputy commissioner Azizullah Jan told a meeting the other day.

“The Indus River is a major breeding ground for dengue larvae, and we have to protect settlements along the riverside by carrying out fumigation and filling holes and ditches,” Mr Jan said.

Published in Dawn, May 17th, 2026