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District council wants opening of Lowari
tunnel for public
By Zahiruddin
CHITRAL: District nazim Maghfirat Shah and tehsil nazim
Sartaj Ahmed Khan have warned the federal government that if the
Lowari tunnel is not opened for the general public, then it will
not be possible for him to control the uprising of the people who
are facing multifarious problems after the closure of Lowari Top.
Addressing a joint press conference here on Saturday, they said
that thousands of passengers are stranded in Chitral and Peshawar
while the commodities of daily use have ran short. They said that
it was not regrettable to say that the federal government is giving
a cold shoulder to the residents of Chitral in this hour of
distress and did not open the Lowari tunnel for the general public.
They said that the Sarhad assembly has already passed a unanimous
resolution seeking the opening the tunnel for the passengers but it
did not bear any result. Describing the pathetic condition of the
residents of Chitral, they said that the population of 5 lakh is
facing shortage of basic essentials after the closure of Lowari Top
for the season last month in the absence of replenishment. They
said that diesel, petrol, liquefied gas, kerosene oil and sugar
have already become extinct in the district while the Lowari Top
will reopen by the month of May and one can well judge the
condition of the besieged residents. They said that postal system
in the district has collapsed completely as for the last one month,
the postal consignments of both the post office and different
courier service companies have not reached here. They said that PIA
flights to the area were cancelled for the eighth day consecutively
due to inclement weather and the journey through Afghanistan is no
more possible due to the highly volatile situation in the tribal
areas through which the passengers have to pass before entering
Afghanistan. They said that every year many people lose their lives
while crossing the snow-clad Lowari Top in the winter season and if
this happens this year too, then no one can stop the bloody turmoil
throughout the district against the government. They said that the
opening of the tunnel will greatly help solve the problems of the
residents. The nazims said that the district government of Chitral
will ensure security and other related arrangements for the
passengers. Convener Sultan Shah and all the members of the zilla
council were also present on the occasion while president of
traders union Habib Hussain Mughal and president of drivers union
Qamaruddin said that any delaying in opening the tunnel for the
people will prove disastrous for the residents of Chitral.
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Law and order situation Chitral come under discussion
By Zahiruddin
CHITRAL: The zilla council discussed in length the potential
dangers to the law and order situation in the district here on
Friday and demanded of the government unanimously to close down a
private FM radio station in the city and repatriate the Afghan
refugees from the district. Presided over by its convener Sultan
Shah, the house continued its session for the second day to discuss
the measures to retain the ideal tranquil situation in the
district. The district nazim Maghfirat Shah and the members of the
house took part in the debate while tehsil nazim Chitral Sartaj
Ahmed Khan had also been invited specially to express his views on
the topic. The members were unanimous to say that the working of a
private radio station will not be afforded in the district and
argued that the FM radio channels were responsible for whole the
mess in Swat, Bara of Khyber agency and other areas where the
government has lost its very writ. They said that Afghan refugees
are constant source of irritation for the peace and tranquility of
the area and their expulsion should be ensured in the best interest
of the area. They said that it was the right time to banish them to
their country or restrict their motion and all other activities in
their camps to arrest the growing rate of crimes which are unknown
in the area. They also demanded the seal the borders of Arandu,
Arsoon, Gobore, Shandur and Baroghil into the district with
Afghanistan to effectively check the intrusion of the elements to
disturb its peace. They also urged upon the government to send back
the personnel of Chitral police posted in the volatile districts of
Swat and other areas keeping in view the enormity of the district
which spreads over 14850 square kilometers having many borders with
Afghanistan. They said that the district police lacks personnel to
effective check the infiltration as it was noticed the other day in
Drosh when Afghan gangsters took away a herd of 600 goats into the
Afghan area. The members eulogized the Peace committee in the
district and asked its activation which has roots in all
cross-sections of the society and plays a vital role in keeping
harmony between different sects. They said that the abduction of
Afghan nationals from the Drosh area and taking away of cattle
heads must be an eye-opener for us as our forces failed to
anticipate their movements and then check them. The district nazim
said that an in-camera briefing of the agencies responsible for law
enforcement will be arranged for the members of the district
council. Some of the members hailed the positive role of the
religious clerics in Chitral who have rendered a great service in
the maintenance of peace in the district. Some of the members also
demanded to remove the unnecessary check posts on Arandu road which
causes nuisance for the public.
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