MIR ALI: The people of North Waziristan are facing trouble due to traffic mess and encroachments in Mir Ali Bazaar, while the authorities are not taking concrete action to resolve the issue.

TNN correspondent reported that Mir Ali Bazaar is becoming congested with each passing day due to traffic mismanagement. Only two or three traffic police personnel remain present on duty in the main square of the bazaar who come for duty only for few hours.

The local people said the local administration is not implementing the traffic laws in Mir Ali Bazaar. They said almost every shopkeeper has placed his belongings outside the shops due to which the commuters and visitors are facing difficulties.

The area people said besides traffic mess, they are also troubled by problems of electricity load-shedding and non-availability of clean drinking water facility. They said the women and children had to fetch water from far off areas on their heads for household needs, and excessive power cut has made their lives difficult. They said these increasing problems have also affected business activities in Mir Ali Bazaar.

Local leader of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Shafqat Dawar said while talking to TNN that the problems of North Waziristan remain unresolved even after merger of erstwhile Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said despite numerous complaints by the local people, the administration is not taking any step to correct the state of affairs.

Faseehullah, a local leader of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), said the traffic mess and encroachments in Mir Ali Bazaar speak volumes about the government performance. He called upon the district police chief to resolve the problems of the bazaar with serious intent.

A traffic police official told TNN on condition of anonymity that they are working day in and day out to resolve the problem of traffic in Mir Ali Bazaar. However, he said traders are not cooperating with them and they start protests whenever they take action against encroachments and remove items of shopkeepers from road and footpaths. He said the problem can be resolved if the traders and local people cooperate with the traffic police.