M. Irshad Ullah
Peshawar, Nov 1, 2025: Social activists and elders from Torkhow have demanded the immediate completion of the long-delayed Torkho-Terich Road project in Upper Chitral.
Addressing a press conference and during a protest rally in Peshawar on Saturday, Chairman Torkhow-Terich Road Forum Umair Khalil, Tahir Shadan and Shamsul Nabi and others warned that if work did not resume within a week, the locals will be forced to launch peaceful protests. Despite receiving Rs266.6 million, the contractor has managed to build less than 12 kilometers of the road, which has led to growing frustration among residents.
They asked both the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and the Communication and Works Department (C&W) to take swift action. They criticized the authorities for filing FIRs against locals who have voiced their concerns, calling it an attempt to suppress legitimate public demands.
The activists and elders emphasized that the community has waited for years for the road’s completion, but continued neglect by contractors and officials has only exacerbated their suffering. They have demanded that the government ensure the project is completed as per the approved PC-1 and that an asphalt machine be deployed immediately to accelerate work.
Further, they have called for the prompt payment of pending land compensation to affected property owners and a change in local police leadership to restore public confidence. If the authorities fail to act within the week, the forum has announced that protests will begin at various locations, including the Peshawar Press Club, DC House Upper Chitral, C&W office, and Rayin.
The Chitrali elders have made it clear that they no longer seek political promises but rather real progress. They warned that if the government continues to ignore the issue, the protest movement would only grow, expanding across the district and province.
They condemned the registration of terrorism cases against those calling for the road’s completion, framing it as a sign of the government’s failure. Despite the project’s budget rising from Rs380 million to nearly Rs1 billion over the years, no visible progress has been made, and the community demands immediate intervention.
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