Youth from various parts of Shangla blocked the Bisham-Swat road at Alpuri Chowk to protest against the increasing incidents in coal mines, which they attribute to unsafe and illegal practices, as well as alleged fraudulent uplift projects in Shangla.
The rally was organised by the youth of Shangla, led by President Muhammad Idrees Khan, Chairman Syed Inam, and General Secretary Gul Nabi. Participants chanted slogans against elected representatives, heads of line departments, coal mine owners, managers, and contractors, holding them accountable for the deaths of miners.
During the rally, speakers highlighted that Shangla has received hundreds of bodies of coal miners due to persistent negligence on the part of mine owners, contractors, and managers. Fazal Mabood stated that over 7,000 miners have died in coal mine incidents, while approximately 8,000 have been injured as a result of such accidents.
The protesters demanded that the government immediately close illegal mines operating in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Idrees Khan pointed out that hundreds of development schemes approved during the previous tenure of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government remain uninitiated. He emphasised the urgent need to pave the rough roads of Shangla, which have been the cause of fatal traffic accidents, and called for immediate action on all approved road tenders.
Syed Inam also raised concerns about the poor quality of cellular and internet service in the district, urging for improvements.
Assistant Commissioner of Alpuri, Abdul Qayyum Khan, engaged in discussions with the protesters and formed a 13-member youth committee. He assured them that all demands would be addressed within two weeks.
The protest leaders announced their conclusion, giving the authorities a two-week deadline. However, they warned that if their demands were not met within 15 days, they would close the Silk Road.
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The leaders firmly stated that they would not compromise on the rights of Shangla and pledged that the youth would continue their peaceful yet vigorous struggle to achieve their rights. This protest has been viewed as a strong demonstration of the unity and commitment of Shangla’s youth towards the development of their region.
