KHYBER: Vehicular traffic on the Peshawar-Torkham Road remained suspended for nearly five hours on Tuesday when scores of people blocked it to protest closure of the stone-crushing units by the district administration.

The administration had ordered closure of all the stone crushing plants and excavation of minerals in Sur Qamar, Chora and Shah Kas localities of Jamrud over public complaints about increase in dust pollution.

Local sources said Peshawar division commissioner Riaz Mehsud had also taken notice of the dust pollution caused by stone crushing plants during his recent visit to Jamrud, and had directed the Khyber administration to take action against the owners of plants.

The protesters lifted the road blockade after the Jamrud police assured that their demand for lifting the ban would be conveyed to the authorities concerned.