Protestest ends, govt given three-day deadline

The representatives of the protesters decided to end their sit-in after holding talks with the local administration officials, including AACs Saleh and Israr and two DSPs from lower Chitral. About their main demand of registering an FIR against the lawmakers, district anzim, DC Chitral and AC Mastuj for tehir criminal negligence to reconstruct the bridges and roads demanged in last year’s floods, the officials told the protesters that there were legal complications and on their own they cannot fulfil their demand and needed time. Within about a month, nine people, including four girls, have fallen to their death from the damaged bridges in Mulkhow and Torkhow valleys. The protesters forwarded their five demands with the warning that if they were not fulfilled within three days, the people of Kosht and other areas would again start their protest. Apart from the main demand for an FIR against lawmakers, district nazim, DC Chitral, AC Mastuj, the other demands are: (1) steps should be taken without delay to retrieve the vehicle that fell into the river after the bridge collapsed on Monday along with the body of its driver which was feared to be stuck inside. (2) The heirs of those who died in the bridge collapse should be paid compensation from the Shuhada Funds. (3) The government should release the outstanding dues of the two contractors who died in the bridge collapse, and (4) a new bridge should be constructed at the site of the collapsed bridge without any delay.]]>