BATTAGRAM: The people affected due to a project of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) here on Thursday held a jirga at deputy commissioner`s office, alleging that the deadline set by the government for disbursement of compensation amount expired on July 5, but they were yet to get the amount.

The CPEC project-affected people threatened to stop the construction work from Friday (today) as their main demand was not fulfilled.

Before this, the affected people staged a rally, demanding commercial market value of their land and houses. The district administration and NHA officials during a meeting had then told them that they would get the marl(et value till July 5, but the promise was yet to be honoured.

The participants said that the district administration had issued notices to the land and other property owners to vacate their houses without paying them compensation amount.

They said that a big portion of the local population would be affected due to the construction work of the CPEC in Battagram district.

This jirga was attended by deputy commissioner Sardar Asad Haroon, district nazim Attaur Rehman Khan, assistant commissioner Mian Javed Iqbal, former provincial minister Yusuf Khan Tarand, tehsil naib nazim Hazrat Yusuf, SP Riaz Khan and Chinese of ficials.

Mr Tarand demanded of the authorities concerned to conduct a transparent and merit-based survey so that people could get proper compensation amount according to the market value.

Former SP Riaz Khan said that they waited for the government response, but it was disappointing. He said that no one was against this mega project, but the government was forcing the people by its actions to come out on roads and oppose the project for their due rights.

Anwar Baig said that houses were going to be demolished by the government, but the house owners had not been provided with alternative place where they could live with dignity.

Mr Yusuf said that people of the area wanted development of the country, but they were demanding the government to pay them the market value of the land and houses as they were promised earlier. Correspondent