Rawalpindi Ring Road Project Faces New Hurdle

The construction of the 38.3-kilometer Rawalpindi Ring Road faced fresh hurdles on Wednesday as affected landowners staged a peaceful demonstration outside the office of Rawalpindi Division Commissioner Aamir Khattak, demanding long-delayed compensation.

For about an hour, protesters carried placards and banners, calling for their dues and warning that failure to resolve the issue within 15 days would trigger larger demonstrations. The landowners, under the banner of the Ring Road Affected Landowners’ Action Committee, threatened to block the GT Road and Motorway with their families if their demands were not met.

Committee leaders said they were not asking for favors but their lawful rights, stressing that repeated assurances had failed to materialize. They argued that the land acquired was inherited property and must be compensated fairly.

Some warned of dismantling project machinery or setting up camps on their ancestral land if payments continued to be delayed.

According to official figures, 8,992 kanals were acquired for the project, with Rs. 5.9 billion allocated for compensation. The disbursement was due by March 31, 2025, but many landowners say they are still waiting for their share.