ISLAMABAD, JULY21: MANSEHRA: Residents of the Ghanool area in this tehsil of Balakot warned on Saturday that they would hold protests in the streets and file a lawsuit with the Peshawar High Court if the government did not give them the market price of the property they had purchased for the construction of a road as part of the tourist exploration plan.
Muqadar Hussain Mughal, the chairman of the Ghanool Village Council, told reporters in this location, “The district administration banned the sale and purchase of our land five years ago for the construction of the Ghanool-Paprang Road but we are still without payments.”
He stated that as part of its tourism exploration plans, the government had started road projects worth Rs650 million in their area, but they were still unfinished. “The then-chief minister launched work on this artery to link our area with Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road almost five years ago. It was suspended for two years and resumed earlier this month,” he said.According to Mr. Mughal, the district government has been giving each landowner Rs. 276,000 per kanal, a sum that they find intolerable.
The land in Ganool sells for Rs. 4 million per kanal, making it a popular tourist destination. Accordingly, the government ought to compensate us fairly for our real estate. If the government didn’t provide the landowners the money they were due for the land they had purchased so that the road could be built, the resident Sardar Haroon Awan threatened to go on the streets with other landowners.
Malik Amjad Saleem, a resident, claimed that the deputy commissioner was consulted on the issue, but to little effect. “To assert our rights, we [landowners] have chosen to hold public demonstrations and challenge the government in court,” he declared.
POLICE DEPLOYED: To better protect travelers, especially those traveling to Gilgit-Baltistan via the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road, the police have boosted the number of officers stationed in the Kaghan Valley. Shafiullah Khan Gandapur, the district police officer, thanked the police officers stationed at posts and police stations in Kaghan Valley on Saturday for their efforts to protect travelers.
He gave them his word that the department would take care of all their requirements and provide housing for them. The DPO instructed police officers stationed at the new and existing checkpoints in the Gattidas, Basal, Lolusar Lake, and Babusar Top areas to maintain vigilance and guarantee the security of visitors. Additionally, he visited the Naran police station and gave staff instructions on how to greet guests with civility.
Along with local traffic police chief Wajid Khan, Mr. Gandapur visited Naran Bazaar and gave him instructions to maintain a smooth flow of traffic.He stated that travelers to GB and guests of the Kaghan Valley should receive all assistance and cooperation from the police.
