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Zilla council wants resumption of work on Lowari tunnel

By Zahiruddin

CHITRAL: Zilla council Chitral has demanded of the government to resume work on the Lowari rail tunnel project by 30th of May failing which the people will launch protest movement which could lead to disturbance of the peaceful situation in the district. The special session of the council chaired by convener Sultan Shah passed a unanimous resolution reiterating the government to resume work on the project which is of prime importance for the people of Chitral. The house also passed a resolution to open the schools in the district which have been closed by the provincial government in view of security reasons. Earlier, addressing the house, the district nazim Maghfirat Shah blamed the government of hatching conspiracy to destroy the peaceful atmosphere of Chitral and said that the stoppage of work on the Lowari tunnel by the federal government was a part of it. He said that the National Highway Authority (NHA) did not bother even to intimate the district government about its decision on security grounds. Mr. Shah claimed that the district government had time and again assured the NHA to provide a fool-proof security cover to the Korean workers in the project so that the work on the project may go on without being disturbed. He said that the officers of the project including general manager acted arbitrarily to close down the work and send the officials and workers of the Korean company to Islamabad. Mr. Shah said that the Koreans were fully satisfied about the security arrangements made by the district government. He said that the passions of the people are running high due to the stoppage of work on the tunnel. He warned that the district government should not be bypassed while making important decisions about the district. Chitral DCO Mutasim Billah Shah presented briefing to the house regarding the security arrangements for the Koreans of the Lowari tunnel project and said that the site was under the close vigilance of Chitral police, Chitral scouts, district border force and Frontier constabulary men. He said that as many as seventeen check posts had been established in the vicinity of the site to effectively check the infiltration of miscreants. He said that the administration of Upper Dir district had also made satisfactory arrangements for the security but still that the work was closed by NHA.