SHANGLA: Two model police stations were inaugurated in Alpuri and Puran tehsils of Shangla district on Wednesday.

The inaugural ceremony of the model police stations, funded by the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP), was held in Alpuri.

UNDP representative Paul Norman was the chief guest, while district police officer Rahatullah Khan, DSP Ryaz Khan and community members were also in attendance.

Addressing the ceremony, DPO Rahatullah said the establishment of model police stations was aimed to resolve petty issues of local people through community policing forum.

He said 34 community members would perform duty voluntarily in each police station. The members will keep coordination with deputy commissioner, DPO, revenue and other departments for resolving the local issues, he added.

On the occasion, Paul Norman said the model police stations worked as bridge between the community and the police department. He said as Shangla was a peaceful district, where people lived in the brotherhood, they would approach the model police stations for resolution of their petty issues.

PROTEST: Local youth staged a demonstration in Bisham, demanding establishment of a playground in the tehsil.

Local government representatives also joined the demonstration.

The protesters said the playground was announced by PTI chief Imran Khan over two years ago but work could not be started over it as yet.

They pointed said that despite repeated assurances by PTI and PML-N leaders their longstanding demand remained unfulfilled.

Village and tehsil council members assured them to take up the issue with the relevant authorities.

Later, the assistant commissioner held negotiations with the demonstrators and assured them of taking up their demand with the deputy commissioner and other authorities. He, however, said the construction of the playground was delayed because a case over land allocation was pending in court between the government and the landowners.

ROADS REMAIN BLOCKED: Opposition leader in the Alpuri tehsil council Ajab Khan has said link roads in the tehsil are yet to be reopened after heavy snowfall blocked them about two months ago.

Talking to reporters on Tuesday, he said because of blockade of Achar and Amnawi roads, local people had to bring foodstuffs from markets on their shoulders, while they faced problems in taking patients to hospitals.

He said deputy commissioner Abdul Kabeer Khan had also assured of clearing the roads of snow, but to no ef fe ct.Correspondent