Khyber - The continuous suspension of Pak-Afghan highway at Bugyari area has left hundreds of daily wagers jobless, as the construction work has come to halt due to lack of building material, laborers said.
A large number of daily wagers and workers who earned their three times meal by working in various government and private constructions said that since the blockade day, they had been compelled to starve as no labour work is available in Landi Kotal because of shortage of building materials.
Imdadullah, a daily wager, said that the road blockade by the Koki Khel tribesmen had caused them a lot. He maintained that it was not a civilised way to block the road.
Sarfraz, a contractor, said that he had hired services of 60 to 70 labourers and daily wagers in different construction projects, however because of road blockade supply of construction materials was totally stopped that suspended all construction works in the entire tehsil.
Hayat Khan, a dealer of construction materials (bricks, sand, cement etc) regretted that stalk of the substance had been eliminated and for the last twenty three days supply of the commodities was completely disconnected because of the Koki Khel agitation.
He maintained that construction materials cost more if transported via alternate hilly and mountainous Mulagori-Shelman road.
The labourers urged the Koki Khel tribal and the concerned authorities to have mercy on them and sort out a durable and acceptable solution of the issue.