MANSEHRA: District nazim Sardar Said Ghulam on Friday promised the early allotment of plots in the New Balakot City housing project to the survivors of the 2005 earthquake.

`We have secured the land to be used for New Balakot City housing project from local residents and therefore, the process to allot plots to the earthquake survivors from Balakot and Garlat Red Zone will begin soon,` the nazim told reporters in Balakot.

The nazim said the provincial assembly`s special committee formed by the speaker was taking the plot allotment issue very seriously and so, the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority should ensure the early completion of allotment process to the earthqualce survivors.

He said he was aware of the plight of the earthquake survivors from the red zone, who lived in small makeshift houses even eleven years after the calamity ruined their houses.

Mr Ghulam praised local MPA Mian Ziaur Rehman for raising the issue in the provincial assembly and said the removal of hurdles to the housing project was under way.

He said the district government was striving for the early provision of the best possible health and educational services to the local residents.

ROAD BLOCKADE THREATENED: The people affected by the 850 megawatts Suki Kanari hydropower projeet in Kaghan valley on Friday warned that they would block the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road for indefinite period if their demands, especiallyappropriate land payments, project jobs and free electricity, were not met by May 8.

The project is being executed on the Kunhar River in Kaghan valley under the multibillion dollars ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor initiative.

The warning was issued by the committee of the project-hit landowners during a meeting held in Balakot.

Committee member Qari Hameedur Rehman, said landowners had been making a peaceful struggle for rights for the last one year but the government had yet to respond to it.

`Now, we will forcibly halt work on the project to claim rights,` he said.

Mr Rehman said the government should appropriately increase the price of land being acquired for the project, give locals the project jobs, provide them free electricity, and build hospital, educational institutions and residential colonies.

PROBE PANEL FORMED: The district administration has formed a committee to investigate the recent fire incident, which had destroyed the records of several departments in Pattan, the district headquarters of Lower Kohistan.

Upper Kohistan deputy commissioner Mohammad Asif told reporters on Friday that the committee formed on the orders of the chief secretary would probe if any foul play was involved in the May 1 incident.

FAMILY GETS BLOOD MONEY: The family of a man shot dead by the Frontier Constabulary personnel in Kohistan last year has pardoned the culpable officials after getting Rs1 million blood money.

The formal announcement in this respect was made during local religious leader Maulana Attaur Rehman in the central mosque of Dasu, the district headquarters of Upper Kohistan, on Friday.

The settlement came during a meeting between a local jirga and FC high-ups.