Balakot, (Special Correspondent), Former District Council candidate and President of the Hazarewal Overseas Pakistanis Forum, Chaudhry Noor-ul-Hassan Gujar, has strongly condemned the decision to install four toll plazas in Mansehra district, calling it an unjust burden on the people of Balakot.
He stated that while each district in Punjab typically has only one toll plaza, Mansehra has become the only district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where four have been planned. He questioned the legality and rationale behind such a move by the National Highway Authority (NHA), demanding transparency and accountability.
> “Most roads in Mansehra are already in a dilapidated condition.ی Instead of repairing them, the government is imposing financial penalties on the public in the form of multiple tolls,” he said.
Currently, one toll plaza already exists in Mansehra, one has been installed in Kaghan, and two more have been approved—raising the total to four. In contrast, Haripur and Abbottabad each have only one.
Chaudhry Noor-ul-Hassan slammed the local leadership of Balakot, calling this situation a reflection of their incompetence. He criticized elected representatives for their silence, particularly Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf and MNA Junaid Ali Qasim, questioning whether their associates had vested interests in the toll contracts.
He further criticized Tehsil Nazim Syed Ibrahim Shah for “promoting the benefits of toll plazas instead of defending public interest.”
> “We demand that Sardar Yousaf prove he is a true public representative by ensuring these toll plazas are canceled through the NHA. This is the time to stand with the people of Balakot.”
Chaudhry Noor-ul-Hassan also called on the youth to mobilize against these toll plazas and remove them through public power if necessary.
> “If you have come to power by chance, then protect the seat with integrity so the people can trust you again in the future.”