Accord signed for Kalash valley uplift

Report Zahiruddin, Chitral

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and Ayun Valleys Development Programme (AVDP) signed an agreement on Monday for the development of the Bumburate, Rumboor and Birir areas of Kalash valley.

According to the terms of partnership (ToP) of the project, it is meant to bring the area at par with other parts of the district and create job opportunities for the poverty-stricken Kalash people. The project will encompass all the sectors of development like health, education, communication, agriculture, environment and tourism but without jeopardising the cultural entity of the Kalash people who possess a unique culture.

SDC regional coordinator Khalid Hussain and AVDP chairman Rehmat Ilahi inked the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations while regional programme manager of Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) Engineer Sardar Ayub was also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Hussain and Mr Ayub said that AVDP was the first ever organisation in the district which was entrusted to carry out development activities on such a large scale.

They said that Kalash people were suffering from abject poverty on one hand and the preservation of their culture and traditions was another challenge. They said that the project would ensure sustainable development of the Kalash valley and help raise the standard of life of the people.

They said that Birir would be made a model valley and it was selected due to its backwardness and the fact that Kalash culture was present in its original form in this valley.

They said that the forests in the valley would be protected. For the promotion of tourism in the area, special initiatives would be launched to provide fabulous opportunities of self-employment to the people in the valley, they said.