DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The heavy rain blocked the Dera Ismail KhanZhobHighway here on Thursday, suspending traffic between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan to the inconvenience of hundreds of travellers.

People said the downpour triggered landslides, damaging the Mughal Kot section of the highway.

They said long queues of vehicles were seen on the highway, with travellers complaining about lack of water and food amid humid weather.

However, authorities got the highway reopened to traffic several hours later.

They urged drivers to avoid unnecessary travel on the highway and take precautionary measures against rains and floods.

Meanwhile, the Paharpur Circle police on Thursday arrested three men for abducting a resident and seized their car, illegal weapons and ammunition, anda snatched phone.

Allah Nawaz from Baghwani village complained to police that he was recently kidnapped at gunpoint as he left a mosque after offering Maghrib prayer.

He said the kidnappers took him to an undisclosed location in a car,demandeda ransom of Rs20 million ransom and even tried in vain to transfer money from his mobile phone.

They later tied him up and abandoned him before fleeing.

DPO Saiad AhmedSahibzada formed a probe team led by Paharpur Division SP Asad Ali Shah, who traced and arrested the kidnappers.

All the detainees, includingIsmail, Saqib and Rehmatullah, were residents of Paharpur.

Meanwhile, the residents have complained about the closure of theNational Database and Re gis tr a tion AuthorityMega Centre here.

The building,which housed the centre along the Indus River, was demolished after being declared an encroachment by local authorities.

The centre`s computers and other equipment were shifted to the district assembly`s hall.

The 24/7 centre previously operated in a private building near the river, offering identity andregistrationservices.

After its closure, Nadra asked citizens to approach the Citizen Facilitation Centre near the Police Training Centre on Bannu Road.

However, the CFC has three operational counters, caters for peoplefrom DI Khan, Tank and Lakki Marwat districts, and has mobile registration vans, according to residents.

They complained about frequent system outages and said the centre wasoverburdened with work.

The residentsalso said the centre was remotely located and lacked water, seating arrangement and shade.They demanded early reopening of the Nadra Mega Centre.