CHITRAL: Disappointed by the failure of authorities to restore a section of the Chitral-Booni Road in Reshun village of Upper Chitral district, the residents have begun road reconstruction and realignment.

The road was badly damaged by last year’s flooding of the Yarkhoon River.

Chairman of the Reshun village council Ashfaq Ahmed told reporters on Tuesday that the dilapidated road had become a “death trap” for its users due to high incidence of accidents.

He said the situation worsened during winter when frozen water on the road made it extremely dangerous, causing drivers to lose control of their vehicles.

Mr Ahmad said the road connected the Upper Chitral with the rest of the country but its custodian, National Highway Authority, didn’t pay heed to the issue, while the provincial government, too, did not take corrective measures.

He said the villagers decided to start work on a self-help basis while the association of tractor owners provided heavy machinery and fuel, enabling them to realign that road section to bypass the dangerous hilly and steep tract.

The council head thanked Talha Mahmood Foundation chairman Talha Mahmood for announcing provision of machinery and fuel for the work.

PRESS CLUB POLLS: Zahiruddin was re-elected as the president of the Chitral|Press Club unopposed for the fifth consecutive term here on Tuesday.

The election was held under the supervision of senior journalist Shah Murad Baig and president of the Lower Chitral district bar association Sajidulllah.

The other elected office-bearers included Saifur Rehman Aziz (senior vice president), Mian Asif Ali Shah (vice president), Abdul Ghaffar (general secretary), Noor Afzal Khan (finance secretary) and Syed Nazeer Hussain (office secretary).

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2025