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National Park status wanted for Zewar Gol
By Zahiruddin
CHITRAL: The residents of Torkhow have demanded a national
park in Zewar Gol pasture which borders Tajikistan and Afghanistan
and homes a varied and precious wild life which includes ibex and
snow leopard. Talking to chitraltimes.com here on Monday, Iqbal
Murad and others said that the pass of Gram at the end of the
pasture connects Chitral with Tajikistan and is known as a route of
migratory birds. They said that the area is the habitat of many
game birds like pheasants and partridges of rare species while
hundreds of the flocks of Central Asian breed pass through this
pass during their course of migration into Chitral. “The pasture is
also adorned by juniper trees and tens of species of medicinal
plants”, Mr. Murad said and termed the area an aggregate of
biodiversity of the district. The residents complained that in the
absence of effective control by the wild life department, the
illegal hunting of wild life and cutting of the trees is on the
steep rise leading to its depletion. They said that population of
partridge and ibex is imperiled by extinction. The people of the
villages where conservancies have been established, the villagers
are paid millions of rupees in lieu of hunting of markhor but the
people of this area are deprived of such compensation, they said.
They recalled that during the former princely state, Zewar Gol was
a game sanctuary and the local people had been entrusted with the
duties of preservation of its biodiversity and no one dared
poaching here. They said that the area has an importance on tourist
point of view as well and can be promoted into a tourist resort in
the summer season while its trekking routes can attract a large
number of foreigners. They said that for the preservation of
biodiversity in the area, establishment of national park should be
expedited by the ministries of finance and environment.
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Write of small loan of farmers demanded
By our Correspondent
CHITRAL: The chairman of Biyar Local Support Organisation,
Booni Syed Sardar Hussain Shah has demanded of the government to
write off the small loans of farmers and businessman due to the
continued turmoil in Malakand Division for the last one year. In a
press statement issued here on Monday, he said that the farmers and
other small businessmen had obtained small credits to the tune of
50 thousands from various banks and financial institutions but they
are not in a position of paying back due to the adverse situation
in the district. He said that such loans should be waived off along
with the mark up on compassionate grounds.
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Mastuj Shandur Road opened for all kind of vehicular
By Zahiruddin
CHITRAL: Shandur pass road has been opened for all kinds of
vehicular traffic which had been closed in December last due to
heavy snowfall, sources said. The road passing through the Shandur
Pass (10200 ft above the sea level) connects Chitral with the
northern areas of Gilgit. The bus service of Northern Areas
Transport Corporation (NATCO) was resumed on Monday between Gilgit
and Mastuj town of Chitral.
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