BAJAUR: Residents of various hilly areas of Salarzai tehsil on Sunday protested against the alleged prolonged delay in the construction of a road project and warned of holding a massive demonstration if work on the scheme was not launched immediately.

Scores of residents of different areas attended the demonstration that lasted for more than two hours.

The angry protesters said the construction of the Pashat-Batwar Road Project had long been a demand of the people of several hilly areas located along the route.

They pointed out that work on the project, which is about five kilometres long, was launched in 2021 and was expected to be completed in a few months.

However, they alleged that work could not be started properly during the past five years.

“We were very delighted when work on the Pashat-Batwar Road was inaugurated some six years ago and we were assured that it would be completed in a few months,” they recalled.

They said that the delay in the construction of the road, which was to connect scores of mountainous areas with each other and with the rest of the region, had not only disappointed them but also deprived them of the traditional pathways constructed by them on a self-help basis.

They demanded of the provincial government, district administration and the local MNA and MPAs to ensure early resumption of work on the project at the earliest.

They warned of holding a demonstration if the issue was not addressed.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2026