CHITRAL: Thousands of residents staged a sit-in in the Drosh bazaar after Friday prayers to register their protest against the inordinate delay in the completion of Sheshi hydel power house.
Qari Jamal Abdul Nasir, Moulana Musharraf and others said on the occasion that the authorities of small hydel development organisation had to complete the project by the end of 2006 but still it was incomplete. They said residents were facing over 20-hour loadshedding on daily basis.
They resolved to continue the sit-in for indefinite period but later on, the district nazim, Maghfirat Shah, persuaded them to disperse peacefully and defer the protest.--Zahiruddin
Friday, October 31, 2008
Govt warned against price hike
CHITRAL: Members of the district council asked the provincial government to control the increases in the transport fares and prices of basic commodities in Chitral.
In the second day of their session, they expressed concern over skyrocketing prices and fares and criticised the authorities of the district government in this regard.
They said that the fares had been increased manifold by the transporters without the approval of the authority while the government had yet to take a notice of it. They demanded a concrete mechanism to control price hike in Chitral.--Zahiruddin
In the second day of their session, they expressed concern over skyrocketing prices and fares and criticised the authorities of the district government in this regard.
They said that the fares had been increased manifold by the transporters without the approval of the authority while the government had yet to take a notice of it. They demanded a concrete mechanism to control price hike in Chitral.--Zahiruddin
Postgraduate college still a pipe dream in Chitral
By Zahiruddin
CHITRAL: The upgradation of the government college to postgraduate level remains to be a dream for the students which had been announced four years ago.
The students complained here on Friday that the college had sufficient space to accommodate postgraduate classes in many disciplines. Introduction of postgraduate classes would mitigate the sufferings of the students who had to travel to Peshawar and other cities after their graduation in Chitral.
Students said that the provincial government made a prompt action and allocated funds for construction of additional blocks which included an information technology block. Additional rooms had been completed but shortage of teaching staff and provision of laboratories to cater to the requirements of postgraduate classes was currently the major problems.
Library of the college, they said, also needed upgradation by adding new books while the existing space was also sufficient to accommodate hundreds of students at a time. The students demanded that postgraduate programmes in humanities as well as science groups including computer science, chemistry, botany and environmental science.
They said that about 70 per cent students from Chitral, aspiring for admissions in Peshawar University, returned to back to Chitral after failing to get admission every year. Therefore, a good number of students discontinue their studies after graduation.
Severe food crisis may hit Chitral
By Riaz Khan Daudzai
PESHAWAR: For the first time in the six-decade-long history of the country, Chitral, the area-wise largest district of the NWFP may face a severe food crisis if the government did not supply an additional 6,000 tons of wheat to the district before the end of the year.
Sources in the food department say the district food department has approached the provincial government and sought an additional 6,000 tons of wheat as the demand for the commodity had increased by 40 per cent following the drought soon after the sowing season.
A meeting in Peshawar on Thursday was informed that flour being supplied to the district was very expensive at Rs30 per kg and the local population was not used to it while wheat was less expensive for the local consumers who would grind the indigenous commodity with the imported one. They want wheat in place of flour for which the demand has already increased by 40 per cent.
The officials said initially the district food department had placed a demand of 36,000 tons in response to which it was supplied with 33,000 tons. At present the district has a stock of 23,000 tons which was not sufficient.
The district agriculture department carried out a survey and after that in its annual forecast report on the crop it said the local produce had reduced by 35 to 40 per cent.
The officials said the local production caters to only 40 per cent needs of the population while for the remaining 60 per cent it depends on the supply from the provincial ministry of food. Though no land record is available in the district, yet the ratio may go up to 20:80 as the district was facing drought due to low snowfall. The officials said recently the district had to distribute wheat to its 31 storage centers before the end of the year. They said after December 31, all routes to the valley would be blocked making it hard for the government to supply food items to the district.--The News
PESHAWAR: For the first time in the six-decade-long history of the country, Chitral, the area-wise largest district of the NWFP may face a severe food crisis if the government did not supply an additional 6,000 tons of wheat to the district before the end of the year.
Sources in the food department say the district food department has approached the provincial government and sought an additional 6,000 tons of wheat as the demand for the commodity had increased by 40 per cent following the drought soon after the sowing season.
A meeting in Peshawar on Thursday was informed that flour being supplied to the district was very expensive at Rs30 per kg and the local population was not used to it while wheat was less expensive for the local consumers who would grind the indigenous commodity with the imported one. They want wheat in place of flour for which the demand has already increased by 40 per cent.
The officials said initially the district food department had placed a demand of 36,000 tons in response to which it was supplied with 33,000 tons. At present the district has a stock of 23,000 tons which was not sufficient.
The district agriculture department carried out a survey and after that in its annual forecast report on the crop it said the local produce had reduced by 35 to 40 per cent.
The officials said the local production caters to only 40 per cent needs of the population while for the remaining 60 per cent it depends on the supply from the provincial ministry of food. Though no land record is available in the district, yet the ratio may go up to 20:80 as the district was facing drought due to low snowfall. The officials said recently the district had to distribute wheat to its 31 storage centers before the end of the year. They said after December 31, all routes to the valley would be blocked making it hard for the government to supply food items to the district.--The News
Thursday, October 30, 2008
SELF HELP: Life On The Wrong Side
Garages and huts are being converted into well-equipped dispensaries run by dedicated locals up north, writes Maureen Lines
Shidi is a wild desolate place, stretching from Gaihiret to Drosh, in the area of Chitral; it is the site of an ancient graveyard and scene of many ambushes. It is a barren area, having few fields which are farmed by Gujas, a semi nomadic people. Although the main road on the other bank of the river provides communication to the towns, on the Shidi side, only a dusty, empty track, running through deserted Afghan refugee camps, gives access to the rare jeep traveller.
Amidst the few corn fields and derelict stone houses is a lock up garage, which has been turned into a dispensary. At fifteen, Shafi, who uses his father’s garage in their summer fields, is quite young to be a dispenser. He is however, excellent in English and is studying to go to university.
The garage is fitted with shelves, bearing medicine bought with funds from the Australian High Commission. The Gujas have dark complexion and their features are different from the local Muslims. Few are educated and they often live in remote areas. These are the people who always fall through the net when it comes to development, either by the government or NGOs.
In the late spring some of them migrate to Nuristan, where the women are often engaged in cheese making while their husbands work as shepherds, or to mountain areas other than the Kalash, as these are forbidden to women who are considered impure in Kalash religion.
Shafi’s elder brother, Ibid, mans a dispensary at Bini Nisar, a small village a few kilometres up river near the entrance to the Kalash valley of Birir. Here the people are locals and better off than the Gujars, but they are still on the ‘wrong’ side of the river and far from any hospital or doctor.
To convert this garage on the jeep track took some doing. A glass front was put in behind the metal gates and shelves fitted. Ibid enjoys his work, even though, it requires a long walk along the jeep track, hugging the cliff above the Chitral river.
From Gaihiret, where both he and Shafi live, they have to cross the suspension bridge built by the British between 1912 and 1927. It is the highest suspension bridge in South East Asia, has a span of 300 feet and is a remarkable feat of engineering.
From Bini Nisar, a jeep track goes to the Kalash valley of Birir. Here the Kalasha people and the Muslims live side by side. Most of them are subsistence farmers. A few own shops, some drive jeeps while others are involved in timber cutting which was illegal in the past. At the moment, a good DFO and forest guards are controlling the cutting, and most of the wood leaving the valleys is dead wood, both for firewood and construction purposes.
A few men work on the road crew, a tiring, dusty and particularly hard job during the summer months. It is a long way to Chitral to see a doctor. Not everyone can afford the journey into town or the doctors’ fees, on top of which is the cost of medicine.
Shamsa Rehman is another dispenser. Back in the days before 9/11, he was a tourist guide. Now married, with two children, he tries to supplement his meagre salary with income he derives from a small grocery shop.
The dispensary is on the edge of the Kalash dancing ground, but its construction is not yet complete. So far it has taken five years with money from the Finns, a small percentage from fund raising activities in Islamabad and from private funds.
The other day, I checked the register as I do on a regular basis. As I picked up the heavy ledger, I was again astounded at how many entries there were. In the three hours in the morning, when the dispensary is operative, nearly 40 people come for medicines. Many of them are sent by the government dispenser, who has never, in the 28 years I have known him, ever had any medicine in his unit.
The register at Shaikhonondai, Rumbur, is also impressive with something like 3,500 entries in the two and a half years it has been open. This dispensary is run by Inayatullah, a young Nuristani. His father is suffering from bone TB and the free medicines provided by the government have had no effect. So he has to take over a thousand rupees from his Rs2,000 salary per month, to keep his father alive.
Shaikhonondai, village of Shaikhs (the converted ones) is the most northerly of all the villages in the Kalash valleys. This is the most remote of the non-government dispensaries. It is only a day’s ride to the Ganglewat Pass into Nuristan, Afghanistan. In 1895, those not wishing to be converted to Islam, escaped from the forced conversion of Abdul Rehman, by fleeing to British territory across the Durand Line. These Nuristanis, who live above eight thousand feet, do farming, keep goats in the high pastures and trade with their countrymen across the border.
It is a two-hour trek down valley to the nearest Kalash village of Balanguru. In winter the track is often impassable with 15 feet snow drifts. Here a bottle of Calpol means the difference between life and death to a child suffering from a fever.
In Balanguru, Daud, a Kalash man, also a former tourist guide, runs the dispensary. Being the only son, it is his duty to also farm his aging parents’ land.
Such circumstances, made worse by an acute ear infection, leading to an operation and some loss of hearing, have prevented Daud, a bright student, from studying at university.
Whatever dreams he may have had, his wife and children and parents keep him very busy. Whenever we meet, he always has a warm cheerful smile.
Converted garages, small shops, and one in the midst of being built (a small garden is also being planned) with able and dedicated dispensers, provide a service which has alleviated suffering and saved many lives.-Dawn
Shidi is a wild desolate place, stretching from Gaihiret to Drosh, in the area of Chitral; it is the site of an ancient graveyard and scene of many ambushes. It is a barren area, having few fields which are farmed by Gujas, a semi nomadic people. Although the main road on the other bank of the river provides communication to the towns, on the Shidi side, only a dusty, empty track, running through deserted Afghan refugee camps, gives access to the rare jeep traveller.
Amidst the few corn fields and derelict stone houses is a lock up garage, which has been turned into a dispensary. At fifteen, Shafi, who uses his father’s garage in their summer fields, is quite young to be a dispenser. He is however, excellent in English and is studying to go to university.
The garage is fitted with shelves, bearing medicine bought with funds from the Australian High Commission. The Gujas have dark complexion and their features are different from the local Muslims. Few are educated and they often live in remote areas. These are the people who always fall through the net when it comes to development, either by the government or NGOs.
In the late spring some of them migrate to Nuristan, where the women are often engaged in cheese making while their husbands work as shepherds, or to mountain areas other than the Kalash, as these are forbidden to women who are considered impure in Kalash religion.
Shafi’s elder brother, Ibid, mans a dispensary at Bini Nisar, a small village a few kilometres up river near the entrance to the Kalash valley of Birir. Here the people are locals and better off than the Gujars, but they are still on the ‘wrong’ side of the river and far from any hospital or doctor.
To convert this garage on the jeep track took some doing. A glass front was put in behind the metal gates and shelves fitted. Ibid enjoys his work, even though, it requires a long walk along the jeep track, hugging the cliff above the Chitral river.
From Gaihiret, where both he and Shafi live, they have to cross the suspension bridge built by the British between 1912 and 1927. It is the highest suspension bridge in South East Asia, has a span of 300 feet and is a remarkable feat of engineering.
From Bini Nisar, a jeep track goes to the Kalash valley of Birir. Here the Kalasha people and the Muslims live side by side. Most of them are subsistence farmers. A few own shops, some drive jeeps while others are involved in timber cutting which was illegal in the past. At the moment, a good DFO and forest guards are controlling the cutting, and most of the wood leaving the valleys is dead wood, both for firewood and construction purposes.
A few men work on the road crew, a tiring, dusty and particularly hard job during the summer months. It is a long way to Chitral to see a doctor. Not everyone can afford the journey into town or the doctors’ fees, on top of which is the cost of medicine.
Shamsa Rehman is another dispenser. Back in the days before 9/11, he was a tourist guide. Now married, with two children, he tries to supplement his meagre salary with income he derives from a small grocery shop.
The dispensary is on the edge of the Kalash dancing ground, but its construction is not yet complete. So far it has taken five years with money from the Finns, a small percentage from fund raising activities in Islamabad and from private funds.
The other day, I checked the register as I do on a regular basis. As I picked up the heavy ledger, I was again astounded at how many entries there were. In the three hours in the morning, when the dispensary is operative, nearly 40 people come for medicines. Many of them are sent by the government dispenser, who has never, in the 28 years I have known him, ever had any medicine in his unit.
The register at Shaikhonondai, Rumbur, is also impressive with something like 3,500 entries in the two and a half years it has been open. This dispensary is run by Inayatullah, a young Nuristani. His father is suffering from bone TB and the free medicines provided by the government have had no effect. So he has to take over a thousand rupees from his Rs2,000 salary per month, to keep his father alive.
Shaikhonondai, village of Shaikhs (the converted ones) is the most northerly of all the villages in the Kalash valleys. This is the most remote of the non-government dispensaries. It is only a day’s ride to the Ganglewat Pass into Nuristan, Afghanistan. In 1895, those not wishing to be converted to Islam, escaped from the forced conversion of Abdul Rehman, by fleeing to British territory across the Durand Line. These Nuristanis, who live above eight thousand feet, do farming, keep goats in the high pastures and trade with their countrymen across the border.
It is a two-hour trek down valley to the nearest Kalash village of Balanguru. In winter the track is often impassable with 15 feet snow drifts. Here a bottle of Calpol means the difference between life and death to a child suffering from a fever.
In Balanguru, Daud, a Kalash man, also a former tourist guide, runs the dispensary. Being the only son, it is his duty to also farm his aging parents’ land.
Such circumstances, made worse by an acute ear infection, leading to an operation and some loss of hearing, have prevented Daud, a bright student, from studying at university.
Whatever dreams he may have had, his wife and children and parents keep him very busy. Whenever we meet, he always has a warm cheerful smile.
Converted garages, small shops, and one in the midst of being built (a small garden is also being planned) with able and dedicated dispensers, provide a service which has alleviated suffering and saved many lives.-Dawn
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Chitral seminar calls for protection of women's rights
Report GH Farooqui
CHITRAL: A one-day seminar on experience sharing regarding women and human rights was organized here by Easy & Equitable Access to Justice Program Chitral. Tehsil Nazim Chitral Sartaj Ahmad Khan was chief guest on the occasion while the ceremony was presided over by Maulana Khaleequz Zaman, Khateeb Shahi Masjid Chitral.
The workshop started with the recitation from the holy Quran. Niaz Ali Shah, Chairman Board of Directors, Legal Awareness Program for Human Rights (LAPH), briefed the stakeholders about issues, challenges and social status of women in present society. He also briefed the participants regarding women rights on legal point of view.
Dr Saleema Hassan, gynecologist and member Board of Director LAPH, said that often parents expressed their dislike in case of delivery of a daughter which is not justified. She said sons and daughters should equally be treated by their parents because they have equal rights. She called for discouraging marriage of girls in very young age.
The tehsil nazim asked the stakeholders to streamline and frame a joint strategy for protection of women rights by involving of all stake holders including religious scholars and women forums. He said education is the only way for women to participate in development of the country and to save themselves from discrimination and frustration. He stressed upon all stakeholders especially women activists to visit different schools and colleges and educate females on their basic rights. He said awareness campaign is a must for protecting their rights. He said lack of opportunities in employment and unavailability of training and skill development centers for women frustrated them and that is why suicide ratio in women is high in Chitral.
He appealed to all NGOs working in Chitral to start concentrated and integrated work on these issues and convey a message to all women so as to minimize their frustrations and to check suicide rates. He also demanded establishment of a women reporting counter at each police station or at least at subdivision and district level where oppressed and aggrieved women could register their complaints easily and without any hesitation.
Khateeb Shahi Mosque Khaleequz Zaman said Islam gave high status to women and ensured their rights over 1,400 years ago. He said there is no chance of violation of women rights in Islam if it was implemented in its real shape. He said this is black propaganda of western people that Islam and Muslims have besieged women and confined them in their houses. He said the West is exploiting women on the pretext of freedom.
A question-answer session was also held. Chairman BoD Niaz Ali Shah thanked all stakeholders. A large number of males and females representing different women forums participated in the seminar.
CHITRAL: A one-day seminar on experience sharing regarding women and human rights was organized here by Easy & Equitable Access to Justice Program Chitral. Tehsil Nazim Chitral Sartaj Ahmad Khan was chief guest on the occasion while the ceremony was presided over by Maulana Khaleequz Zaman, Khateeb Shahi Masjid Chitral.
The workshop started with the recitation from the holy Quran. Niaz Ali Shah, Chairman Board of Directors, Legal Awareness Program for Human Rights (LAPH), briefed the stakeholders about issues, challenges and social status of women in present society. He also briefed the participants regarding women rights on legal point of view.
Dr Saleema Hassan, gynecologist and member Board of Director LAPH, said that often parents expressed their dislike in case of delivery of a daughter which is not justified. She said sons and daughters should equally be treated by their parents because they have equal rights. She called for discouraging marriage of girls in very young age.
The tehsil nazim asked the stakeholders to streamline and frame a joint strategy for protection of women rights by involving of all stake holders including religious scholars and women forums. He said education is the only way for women to participate in development of the country and to save themselves from discrimination and frustration. He stressed upon all stakeholders especially women activists to visit different schools and colleges and educate females on their basic rights. He said awareness campaign is a must for protecting their rights. He said lack of opportunities in employment and unavailability of training and skill development centers for women frustrated them and that is why suicide ratio in women is high in Chitral.
He appealed to all NGOs working in Chitral to start concentrated and integrated work on these issues and convey a message to all women so as to minimize their frustrations and to check suicide rates. He also demanded establishment of a women reporting counter at each police station or at least at subdivision and district level where oppressed and aggrieved women could register their complaints easily and without any hesitation.
Khateeb Shahi Mosque Khaleequz Zaman said Islam gave high status to women and ensured their rights over 1,400 years ago. He said there is no chance of violation of women rights in Islam if it was implemented in its real shape. He said this is black propaganda of western people that Islam and Muslims have besieged women and confined them in their houses. He said the West is exploiting women on the pretext of freedom.
A question-answer session was also held. Chairman BoD Niaz Ali Shah thanked all stakeholders. A large number of males and females representing different women forums participated in the seminar.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Education, developmet in Chitral
Since the inception of Pakistan in 1947 and Chitral State’s joining the federation in 1948, Chitral remained an isolated and impoverished part of the country’s Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP). In political terms, no high profile government functionary either at the provincial or federal level had ever paid a visit to the region. Geographically, it always remained cut off from the rest of the country for six months in a year due to heavy snow on the Lowari Pass, avalanches taking several precious human lives every year. Internally, in the absence of road links, people had to walk for days on pony tracks from their far flung villages to Chitral town to buy the daily necessities for survival.
Economically, people had just survived a famine lasting through the years 1969 to 1971. I can still recall the arrival of the grain which became known to the local population at that time as amricayi, referring to the almost rotten corn stock that had become available to them in quantities, barely enough to survive on. The severity of food shortage was such that a man from a far flung village after waiting several days in Chitral town and failing to buy a few kilograms of barley, corn, wheat, rice or any kind of pulses on which his family could survive, took his life by throwing himself into the freezing Chitral River. I, still remember as a high school student in Chitral town, spending many lunch breaks, after school and on Sundays writing applications for the numerous illiterate villagers to get approval from the Deputy Commissioner’s and Assistant Commissioner’s offices to purchase grain and acquiring the approved amount of grain from the tahsildar, a government functionary responsible at the time for the grain storehouse. As a boarder at the Ismaili Hostel, (which was destroyed by a politically motivated mob in July 1982) I was one of the privileged students to have been provided with accommodation and food.
Educationally, by 1976 a few middle schools located in each tahsil (an administrative unit like a ward or county within a district) had been upgraded to high school (grade ten) but practically it was the high school Chitral town from where most grade ten students graduated. However, the new government, first popularly elected since the creation of Pakistan, had expanded primary education and upgraded some to higher levels and commissioned the Chitral college (grade twelve at that time) now Degree College. Furthermore, the government, for the first time, had established scholarships for students to study in the big urban cities of Pakistan. Female education had yet to be recognized as a priority.
In the area of health, apart from the two hospitals, one in Drosh and the other in Chitral town, and a few dispensaries at the tehsil level, there was hardly any government health facility to my recollection. A vast majority of the population relied on traditional herbal medicines to cure their diseases. Many would seek relief from pain and health recovery in prayers and amulets. One of the consequences of lack of health care facilities was opium addiction of a large number of people who first used it as a pain reliever and then got addicted to it with devastating results for their families; selling off properties to meet the expenses of addiction.
Chitral Today
Apart from the spiritual significance for the Ismaili Muslims in Chitral, the visit of the Imam accompanied by the Prime Minister was symbolic in the sense that it heralded the Ismaili Imamat institutions, which were yet to come to the region, and which would work with those of the government departments to change the deplorable conditions of Chitral as described earlier. This unfolded in many areas of development.
Five years following the visit, the Aga Khan Rural Support Program (AKRSP) was launched in the region, which since then has provided employment opportunities to hundreds of people, men and women, constructed numerous link roads, built irrigation channels bringing vast areas of barren lands with no water at all and lands with insufficient water supply into productive cultivable use, and planting millions of fruit trees and trees for reforestation halting the devastating effect of the deforestation caused by the lucrative profiteers, the loggers legally and illegally. Over the years it has supported numerous villages in building hydro power projects to provide electricity to their houses, and most importantly it has enabled the communities to build their organizational capacity through the development of social organizations, thus unleashing their creative energies to seek solutions to their communities’ problems. Chitral is greener today than one could have imagined in 197, it is producing marketable products such as fruits and potatoes in fairly large quantities, trading them not only within Chitral, but also in Pakistan’s urban centers. AKRSP’s contribution in this regard has been pioneering.
From 1960s to early 1980s, while government resources were directed towards expansion of education for boys, the Aga Khan Education Service (AKES) focused on girls’ education. At the time when the AKES opened its first school for girls in Chitral in early 1980s, there was barely any female literacy and today Chitral is one of the highest female literacy districts in NWFP due to the significant contribution of AKES schools. Currently, it is running 86 schools from grade one to ten with over 6000 students, the largest non-governmental education provider in the district. As a further step, the AKES has started building two high profile higher secondary schools (grade 12) in upper and lower Chitral. The Professional Development Centre in Chitral town, the construction of which is also underway is another significant institutional development to improve the quality of education in Chitral. Over the years, AKES has trained hundreds of its own and of government teachers through its Field-Based Teacher Development Program, improved their language skills through its language Enhancement programs (LEAP and SCIP) and has built many quality school buildings through its self-help school construction program. In all its education endeavors, the AKES has involved the local communities drawing on their strength and improving their capacity to manage their community-based schools.
With no institutional presence in Chitral in 1976, the Aga Khan Health Service has now a network of health centers in far flung villages providing prenatal and postnatal child care. It has established two high quality health facilities with trained doctors, nurses, technicians and modern equipment in purpose built, best quality buildings in lower and upper Chitral. In addition to its numerous primary health care programs, the eradication of centuries old health problem, the goiter, a swelling of the thyroid gland in the neck due to iodine deficiency, is a remarkable achievement. The Aga Khan Planning and Building Service’s achievements in improving the living conditions through innovative and low cost strategies are of no less significance.--Courtesy Hunza Times
Economically, people had just survived a famine lasting through the years 1969 to 1971. I can still recall the arrival of the grain which became known to the local population at that time as amricayi, referring to the almost rotten corn stock that had become available to them in quantities, barely enough to survive on. The severity of food shortage was such that a man from a far flung village after waiting several days in Chitral town and failing to buy a few kilograms of barley, corn, wheat, rice or any kind of pulses on which his family could survive, took his life by throwing himself into the freezing Chitral River. I, still remember as a high school student in Chitral town, spending many lunch breaks, after school and on Sundays writing applications for the numerous illiterate villagers to get approval from the Deputy Commissioner’s and Assistant Commissioner’s offices to purchase grain and acquiring the approved amount of grain from the tahsildar, a government functionary responsible at the time for the grain storehouse. As a boarder at the Ismaili Hostel, (which was destroyed by a politically motivated mob in July 1982) I was one of the privileged students to have been provided with accommodation and food.
Educationally, by 1976 a few middle schools located in each tahsil (an administrative unit like a ward or county within a district) had been upgraded to high school (grade ten) but practically it was the high school Chitral town from where most grade ten students graduated. However, the new government, first popularly elected since the creation of Pakistan, had expanded primary education and upgraded some to higher levels and commissioned the Chitral college (grade twelve at that time) now Degree College. Furthermore, the government, for the first time, had established scholarships for students to study in the big urban cities of Pakistan. Female education had yet to be recognized as a priority.
In the area of health, apart from the two hospitals, one in Drosh and the other in Chitral town, and a few dispensaries at the tehsil level, there was hardly any government health facility to my recollection. A vast majority of the population relied on traditional herbal medicines to cure their diseases. Many would seek relief from pain and health recovery in prayers and amulets. One of the consequences of lack of health care facilities was opium addiction of a large number of people who first used it as a pain reliever and then got addicted to it with devastating results for their families; selling off properties to meet the expenses of addiction.
Chitral Today
Apart from the spiritual significance for the Ismaili Muslims in Chitral, the visit of the Imam accompanied by the Prime Minister was symbolic in the sense that it heralded the Ismaili Imamat institutions, which were yet to come to the region, and which would work with those of the government departments to change the deplorable conditions of Chitral as described earlier. This unfolded in many areas of development.
Five years following the visit, the Aga Khan Rural Support Program (AKRSP) was launched in the region, which since then has provided employment opportunities to hundreds of people, men and women, constructed numerous link roads, built irrigation channels bringing vast areas of barren lands with no water at all and lands with insufficient water supply into productive cultivable use, and planting millions of fruit trees and trees for reforestation halting the devastating effect of the deforestation caused by the lucrative profiteers, the loggers legally and illegally. Over the years it has supported numerous villages in building hydro power projects to provide electricity to their houses, and most importantly it has enabled the communities to build their organizational capacity through the development of social organizations, thus unleashing their creative energies to seek solutions to their communities’ problems. Chitral is greener today than one could have imagined in 197, it is producing marketable products such as fruits and potatoes in fairly large quantities, trading them not only within Chitral, but also in Pakistan’s urban centers. AKRSP’s contribution in this regard has been pioneering.
From 1960s to early 1980s, while government resources were directed towards expansion of education for boys, the Aga Khan Education Service (AKES) focused on girls’ education. At the time when the AKES opened its first school for girls in Chitral in early 1980s, there was barely any female literacy and today Chitral is one of the highest female literacy districts in NWFP due to the significant contribution of AKES schools. Currently, it is running 86 schools from grade one to ten with over 6000 students, the largest non-governmental education provider in the district. As a further step, the AKES has started building two high profile higher secondary schools (grade 12) in upper and lower Chitral. The Professional Development Centre in Chitral town, the construction of which is also underway is another significant institutional development to improve the quality of education in Chitral. Over the years, AKES has trained hundreds of its own and of government teachers through its Field-Based Teacher Development Program, improved their language skills through its language Enhancement programs (LEAP and SCIP) and has built many quality school buildings through its self-help school construction program. In all its education endeavors, the AKES has involved the local communities drawing on their strength and improving their capacity to manage their community-based schools.
With no institutional presence in Chitral in 1976, the Aga Khan Health Service has now a network of health centers in far flung villages providing prenatal and postnatal child care. It has established two high quality health facilities with trained doctors, nurses, technicians and modern equipment in purpose built, best quality buildings in lower and upper Chitral. In addition to its numerous primary health care programs, the eradication of centuries old health problem, the goiter, a swelling of the thyroid gland in the neck due to iodine deficiency, is a remarkable achievement. The Aga Khan Planning and Building Service’s achievements in improving the living conditions through innovative and low cost strategies are of no less significance.--Courtesy Hunza Times
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Aga Khan's visit still not confirmed
ISLAMABAD: His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan's visit to Chitral and the Northern Areas may not be materialized this year, according to sources in the Ismaili
community at Karachi.
The sources say that if at all postponed, the Aga Khan's visit to Chitral
and the Northern Areas may take place early next year, possibly in March
or April. However, there have not been formal announcements in this
regard and the preparations for the visit are under way in all parts
of the region.
community at Karachi.
The sources say that if at all postponed, the Aga Khan's visit to Chitral
and the Northern Areas may take place early next year, possibly in March
or April. However, there have not been formal announcements in this
regard and the preparations for the visit are under way in all parts
of the region.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Chitral: the secrets of my peace!
Chitral is delicately balanced between Afghanistan and Swat, in the Hindu Kush mountains. Given this (interesting?) geographical location I had a major internal struggle over whether to go with a colleague, who had invited me to stay with his family over Eid. But both the Foreign Office and VSO said the area is peaceful, so I didn’t give in to fear and boldly went to a place where many other foreigners have been before.
After arriving in Chitral, after a mere 45 minute flight, I had to go to the District Police Office so I could register as a foreigner. After that surprisingly quick process, we started on the journey to Kafiristan – the Kalash valleys. The Kalash valleys are famous because the people there are the only non-Muslims in a large area. They have their own very different religion and traditions, and it is thought that they are descendents from the army of Alexander the Great.
The journey was quite incredible – the mountains were huge, the valleys green, and the road was, well very bumpy, to say the least. I thought I was getting used to mountain roads, but at some points this one was completely gauged out of granite rock – huge tons of rock seemed to be hanging delicately over the road. Plus, we had a normal car rather than one built for such roads, which clattered considerably, so I was rather worried about the state of the tyres.
As we got closer I felt more and more guilty that I was going to gawp at people like they were museum exhibits. But actually when we got there the guy I was with, Asif, had friends there – he seems to have contacts everywhere (used to be a politician!!). So we met his friends, who made tea for us, and then we were shown around the village. Walking around the streets was wonderful. It seemed to an outsider to be a gentle and slow rhythm of life – women were walking around carrying produce, chatting in the streets, kids were playing, and everyone smiled and greeted us.
The women’s clothes were colourful, intricately designed and made, and very beautiful. But it definitely wasn’t a village untouched by modernity - there were adverts for pepsi, and signs basically saying ‘NGO x woz ‘ere’. I really didn’t like that, it was like the NGOs were taking ownership over the village, and saying ‘congratulations to us, we’ve bought these people into the modern world.’ But at the same time I was told about one Kalash woman who had started her own NGO. And the Kalash people obviously hold very closely onto their culture. When women give birth or menstruate they go to a special house where men are not allowed. If a man goes beyond a certain line he has to pay a fine of one goat.
One thing really shocked me – Asif pointed to a particular direction, and said – walk three hours in that direction (admittedly over rather a large mountain), and you get to Afghanistan, Nuristan, and Taliban central. (Behind the mountain in the photo: Afghanistan).
I couldn’t take it in that I was so close to such a dangerous area, yet the Kalash valleys were completely safe and peaceful. I assume that the nature of the villages is very similar in Nuristan and Kafiristan – remote, mountainous, similar crops being grown, life dictated by the seasons. But how can villages so close to each other geographically have people with such a different attitudes to life, cultures and traditions?
In a second village we visited we went to the graveyard which was fairly disturbing, as they used to have open graves (not any more). As much as I tried not to look, I could still see bones in some of the old graves. After Asif met someone else he knew, we started on the long drive back to Chitral, but the excitements of the day were not over. When we got back into mobile phone range I got some texts from VSO saying that Islamabad airport had been closed and all flights suspended due to a bomb scare. It must have happened just after we left. I’m ashamed to say that I had another major panic attack. But I spoke to my parents who have completely changed their tune from saying get on the first flight back to the UK, to saying: oh just enjoy it. So I will, and decided to postpone worrying about how to get back until the time came.
We stayed with Asif’s brother in Chitral. Chitral city is quite conservative – there were no women in the bazaar, so I slightly stood out, even though I had my head covered. Even Ismaili women, who I stayed with, completely covered their face when they went out, and would not venture out without a man, even though in their village they were a lot freer. I was wondering why Chitral is so peaceful given its proximity to Swat, Afghanistan and some tribal agencies. Chitral city itself is mainly Sunni, as it lower Chitral, but upper Chitral is mainly Ismaili. However, there is quite a lot of inter-marriage between the sects. A couple of years ago when there were Taliban incursions into Chitral there were large and peaceful protests. In Dir at the moment, which borders lower Chitral and Afghanistan, the Taliban are making incursions, but citizens are taking matters into their own hands by forming militia. The other week four Taliban were caught in this way. And lists of known Taliban are published and publicly displayed.
The day after Kafiristan we embarked on the six hour journey to Baleem, Asif’s village. Asi kept warning me it was going to be a long and difficult journey, and I thought I was prepared after yesterday. However, we travelled in a local form of transport, so people were packed in like sardines, and several men were on the roof.
I was lucky enough to be in the front seat, but sat next to Asif with barely room to breathe. The journey was stunning though – we could see Terech Mir, the largest mountain in the Hindu Kush range, for a long time which was amazing, especially when the sun was setting. Although Asif had repeatedly told me that Chitral was green (in security terms – it was completely safe), when we got to one village he casually mentioned that this was where Osama Bin Laden’s left hand man was killed, and it was his cousin who killed him over a land dispute. I only managed a weak smile in response to that.
When we got to the village it was 11 o’clock at night, pitch dark and freezing cold. There were no roads in the village, so we had to walk about 20 minutes to reach Asif’s house. When we got there though Asif showed me to his own guest house! I was so tired I went almost immediately to sleep, to the comforting sound of the call of the jackal. --Courtesy Georgechetwynd.blogspots.com
After arriving in Chitral, after a mere 45 minute flight, I had to go to the District Police Office so I could register as a foreigner. After that surprisingly quick process, we started on the journey to Kafiristan – the Kalash valleys. The Kalash valleys are famous because the people there are the only non-Muslims in a large area. They have their own very different religion and traditions, and it is thought that they are descendents from the army of Alexander the Great.
The journey was quite incredible – the mountains were huge, the valleys green, and the road was, well very bumpy, to say the least. I thought I was getting used to mountain roads, but at some points this one was completely gauged out of granite rock – huge tons of rock seemed to be hanging delicately over the road. Plus, we had a normal car rather than one built for such roads, which clattered considerably, so I was rather worried about the state of the tyres.
As we got closer I felt more and more guilty that I was going to gawp at people like they were museum exhibits. But actually when we got there the guy I was with, Asif, had friends there – he seems to have contacts everywhere (used to be a politician!!). So we met his friends, who made tea for us, and then we were shown around the village. Walking around the streets was wonderful. It seemed to an outsider to be a gentle and slow rhythm of life – women were walking around carrying produce, chatting in the streets, kids were playing, and everyone smiled and greeted us.
The women’s clothes were colourful, intricately designed and made, and very beautiful. But it definitely wasn’t a village untouched by modernity - there were adverts for pepsi, and signs basically saying ‘NGO x woz ‘ere’. I really didn’t like that, it was like the NGOs were taking ownership over the village, and saying ‘congratulations to us, we’ve bought these people into the modern world.’ But at the same time I was told about one Kalash woman who had started her own NGO. And the Kalash people obviously hold very closely onto their culture. When women give birth or menstruate they go to a special house where men are not allowed. If a man goes beyond a certain line he has to pay a fine of one goat.
One thing really shocked me – Asif pointed to a particular direction, and said – walk three hours in that direction (admittedly over rather a large mountain), and you get to Afghanistan, Nuristan, and Taliban central. (Behind the mountain in the photo: Afghanistan).
I couldn’t take it in that I was so close to such a dangerous area, yet the Kalash valleys were completely safe and peaceful. I assume that the nature of the villages is very similar in Nuristan and Kafiristan – remote, mountainous, similar crops being grown, life dictated by the seasons. But how can villages so close to each other geographically have people with such a different attitudes to life, cultures and traditions?
In a second village we visited we went to the graveyard which was fairly disturbing, as they used to have open graves (not any more). As much as I tried not to look, I could still see bones in some of the old graves. After Asif met someone else he knew, we started on the long drive back to Chitral, but the excitements of the day were not over. When we got back into mobile phone range I got some texts from VSO saying that Islamabad airport had been closed and all flights suspended due to a bomb scare. It must have happened just after we left. I’m ashamed to say that I had another major panic attack. But I spoke to my parents who have completely changed their tune from saying get on the first flight back to the UK, to saying: oh just enjoy it. So I will, and decided to postpone worrying about how to get back until the time came.
We stayed with Asif’s brother in Chitral. Chitral city is quite conservative – there were no women in the bazaar, so I slightly stood out, even though I had my head covered. Even Ismaili women, who I stayed with, completely covered their face when they went out, and would not venture out without a man, even though in their village they were a lot freer. I was wondering why Chitral is so peaceful given its proximity to Swat, Afghanistan and some tribal agencies. Chitral city itself is mainly Sunni, as it lower Chitral, but upper Chitral is mainly Ismaili. However, there is quite a lot of inter-marriage between the sects. A couple of years ago when there were Taliban incursions into Chitral there were large and peaceful protests. In Dir at the moment, which borders lower Chitral and Afghanistan, the Taliban are making incursions, but citizens are taking matters into their own hands by forming militia. The other week four Taliban were caught in this way. And lists of known Taliban are published and publicly displayed.
The day after Kafiristan we embarked on the six hour journey to Baleem, Asif’s village. Asi kept warning me it was going to be a long and difficult journey, and I thought I was prepared after yesterday. However, we travelled in a local form of transport, so people were packed in like sardines, and several men were on the roof.
I was lucky enough to be in the front seat, but sat next to Asif with barely room to breathe. The journey was stunning though – we could see Terech Mir, the largest mountain in the Hindu Kush range, for a long time which was amazing, especially when the sun was setting. Although Asif had repeatedly told me that Chitral was green (in security terms – it was completely safe), when we got to one village he casually mentioned that this was where Osama Bin Laden’s left hand man was killed, and it was his cousin who killed him over a land dispute. I only managed a weak smile in response to that.
When we got to the village it was 11 o’clock at night, pitch dark and freezing cold. There were no roads in the village, so we had to walk about 20 minutes to reach Asif’s house. When we got there though Asif showed me to his own guest house! I was so tired I went almost immediately to sleep, to the comforting sound of the call of the jackal. --Courtesy Georgechetwynd.blogspots.com
Brep: power house project hits snags
Chitral Today Report
The 50KV power house built on the Grover stream for the
Brep and adjoining villages could not be inaugurated
due to engineering faults and a dispute between the
local residents and an NGO.
The power house constructed on self-help basis by the
local communities under the patronage of AKRSP was scheduled
to be opened on July 11 when it hit snags due to a rift
between the NGO and the local people over distribution of
supply wires.
Later, when this issue was resolved, the water tank of the
power house collapsed due to poor engineering. The people
were told to born the cost of its reconstruction amounting
to Rs1.5 million. As it was impossible for the residents,
the AKRSP has offered to pay half of the cost and asked
the communities to reconstruct it on a self-help
basis.
The 50KV power house built on the Grover stream for the
Brep and adjoining villages could not be inaugurated
due to engineering faults and a dispute between the
local residents and an NGO.
The power house constructed on self-help basis by the
local communities under the patronage of AKRSP was scheduled
to be opened on July 11 when it hit snags due to a rift
between the NGO and the local people over distribution of
supply wires.
Later, when this issue was resolved, the water tank of the
power house collapsed due to poor engineering. The people
were told to born the cost of its reconstruction amounting
to Rs1.5 million. As it was impossible for the residents,
the AKRSP has offered to pay half of the cost and asked
the communities to reconstruct it on a self-help
basis.
Friday, October 24, 2008
CM okays uplift projects for Chitral
PESHAWAR: On the special request of NWFP Minister for Population Welfare Saleem Khan, Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti has approved various development projects of public welfare for district Chitral.
These projects include establishment of Govt. Girls Degree College Drosh and Civil Dispensary Domail (Arandu), construction of Tehsil Municipal Administration Building Mastuj and Hostel for Girl Degree College Chitral and installation of water filtration plants in eleven Union councils including Chitral-1, Chitral-II, Broz, Drosh, Kuh, Kosht, Khot, Geram Chashma etc.
In a weekly meeting of MPAs with the Chief Minister, Saleem Khan had requested him to specially focus on development project in Chitral under the his directives keeping in view the backwardness of Chitral. On this occasion, the Chief Minister also approved 15 million rupees for special repair works and purchase of equipments in three degree colleges of Chitral including Govt Boys Degree College Chitral, Govt Girls Degree College Chitral and Govt Boys Degree College Booni. It is worth mentioning here that no repair work had been carried out in these colleges for the past eight years. The Chief Minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti also approved a Day Care Center in Govt Girls Degree College Chitral for looking after the kids of the female teachers during their duty hours. Saleem Khan on behalf of the people of Chitral has thanked the Chief Minister for taking special interest in the development of Chitral.--APP
These projects include establishment of Govt. Girls Degree College Drosh and Civil Dispensary Domail (Arandu), construction of Tehsil Municipal Administration Building Mastuj and Hostel for Girl Degree College Chitral and installation of water filtration plants in eleven Union councils including Chitral-1, Chitral-II, Broz, Drosh, Kuh, Kosht, Khot, Geram Chashma etc.
In a weekly meeting of MPAs with the Chief Minister, Saleem Khan had requested him to specially focus on development project in Chitral under the his directives keeping in view the backwardness of Chitral. On this occasion, the Chief Minister also approved 15 million rupees for special repair works and purchase of equipments in three degree colleges of Chitral including Govt Boys Degree College Chitral, Govt Girls Degree College Chitral and Govt Boys Degree College Booni. It is worth mentioning here that no repair work had been carried out in these colleges for the past eight years. The Chief Minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti also approved a Day Care Center in Govt Girls Degree College Chitral for looking after the kids of the female teachers during their duty hours. Saleem Khan on behalf of the people of Chitral has thanked the Chief Minister for taking special interest in the development of Chitral.--APP
Work on Yarkhun bridge begins
Chitral Update Report
ISLAMABAD: Work on the damaged jeepabale bridge connecting the
Yarkhun valley of Chitral with other parts of the district
has been re-stared after about five months.
The bridge was washed away in August 2006, cutting off the
valley of over 40,000 people from the outside world. Since
then the people of the area have been awaiting the
reconstruction of the vital bridge but the government has
failed to complete it even after the lapse of over two
years.
So far work on the Rs7.9 million project has been started
and abandoned three times. Last time, a contractor resumed
work on the directives of the newly-elected MNA and MPA
but after drilling a few bores left the site in May as the
water level increased with the coming of summer. Though
officials say the project would take three to four months
for completion, people of the area are still not sure
whether the bridge would be reconstructed even by next
summer.
ISLAMABAD: Work on the damaged jeepabale bridge connecting the
Yarkhun valley of Chitral with other parts of the district
has been re-stared after about five months.
The bridge was washed away in August 2006, cutting off the
valley of over 40,000 people from the outside world. Since
then the people of the area have been awaiting the
reconstruction of the vital bridge but the government has
failed to complete it even after the lapse of over two
years.
So far work on the Rs7.9 million project has been started
and abandoned three times. Last time, a contractor resumed
work on the directives of the newly-elected MNA and MPA
but after drilling a few bores left the site in May as the
water level increased with the coming of summer. Though
officials say the project would take three to four months
for completion, people of the area are still not sure
whether the bridge would be reconstructed even by next
summer.
NBF readers' club scheme coming to Chitral
National Book Foundation (NBF) will launch Readers Club Scheme in more cities including Chitral on October 28. NBF Managing Director Javed Akhter would inaugurate the scheme, said a press release issued in Islamabad on Friday.
NBF has extended working range of Readers Club Scheme due to its popularity and the scheme has been extended from 37 to 52 cities across the country.
These cities include Sibbi, Khuzdar, Lorala, Dera Murad Jamali, Turbat, Nawabshah, Dado, Khushab, Burewala, Dera Ismail Khan, Chitral, Kohat, Swat, Mirpur Khas and Muzaffarabad.
The membership of readers club has also been increased from 15,000 to 20,000.
The foundation has made arrangements to facilitate people who wanted to get membership particularly for old people, women and children.
The members of the scheme can purchase any book of their interest other than curriculum on half rate from those booksellers who are on the panel of NBF.
At the time of its beginning in 1984, Readers Club Scheme was limited to only three big cities including Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi but now it has been extended almost every corner of the country to promote book reading culture. Private sector should also collaborate with government to induce reading habits among people. --APP
NBF has extended working range of Readers Club Scheme due to its popularity and the scheme has been extended from 37 to 52 cities across the country.
These cities include Sibbi, Khuzdar, Lorala, Dera Murad Jamali, Turbat, Nawabshah, Dado, Khushab, Burewala, Dera Ismail Khan, Chitral, Kohat, Swat, Mirpur Khas and Muzaffarabad.
The membership of readers club has also been increased from 15,000 to 20,000.
The foundation has made arrangements to facilitate people who wanted to get membership particularly for old people, women and children.
The members of the scheme can purchase any book of their interest other than curriculum on half rate from those booksellers who are on the panel of NBF.
At the time of its beginning in 1984, Readers Club Scheme was limited to only three big cities including Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi but now it has been extended almost every corner of the country to promote book reading culture. Private sector should also collaborate with government to induce reading habits among people. --APP
Met official killed in Chitral
Chitral Update Report
CHITRAL: An official of the meteorological department in Chitral
was killed over a petty dispute, police said on Thursday.
The police said the accused identified as Hazrat Nabi entered the
office at night, gave the staff some milk mixed with tranquilizer
and then shot dead Mohammad Abid, a senior observer at the
Met office.
The police took into custody the accused who later confessed to
the crime. The police also recovered the weapon used by the
accused in the crime. According to the police, a few days
back the deceased and the accused had exchanged harsh words
over some issue. Earlier too, the accused had attacked on the
official.
CHITRAL: An official of the meteorological department in Chitral
was killed over a petty dispute, police said on Thursday.
The police said the accused identified as Hazrat Nabi entered the
office at night, gave the staff some milk mixed with tranquilizer
and then shot dead Mohammad Abid, a senior observer at the
Met office.
The police took into custody the accused who later confessed to
the crime. The police also recovered the weapon used by the
accused in the crime. According to the police, a few days
back the deceased and the accused had exchanged harsh words
over some issue. Earlier too, the accused had attacked on the
official.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Eliminating women trafficking our collective responsibility
THE recent incident in Chitral in which a mob got hold of a local man, beat him up, blackened his face and then paraded him in the bazaar on charge of women trafficking indicates that the inhuman activity is still deep rooted in the valley with local collaborators working against the norms and traditions of society.
Equally perturbing is the locals' reaction who took the law into their own hands and tried to vent their anger at the culprit - a la Taliban style.
We believe that there are no quick fixes to the menace which has become an eyesore for the people of the valley wherever they live besides bringing a bad name for Chitral as a whole.
Apart from socio-economic factors, lack of awareness has been the main reason why our people so quickly fall prey to the unscrupulous elements coming from many parts of the country especially Punjab. Historically, people of Chitral have lived an almost secluded life well protected from outside interferences due mainly to the geographical limitations and topographical characteristics of the valley. However, with the abrupt opening up of the valley due to revolution in communication facilities, people of Chitral now find themselves unprepared to cope with the challenges of the outside world. With the new era of communication opening-up, gangs of criminals operating in other parts of the country have also started moving to the countryside to achieve their designs. The situation would definitely become more challenging in the coming days with the construction of the Lowari tunnel completes.
What should be our collective strategy to eliminate the ills like women trafficking from our society and protect our unique culture, language and traditions. Should blackening the face of a culprit like Mahmoor would be enough to uproot the gangs involved in maligning our good name. Certainly not. There may be tens, if not hundreds, of Mahmoors who are out to tarnish the image of Chitral for the sake of a few thousands rupees. We should not even put the onus wholly on the government to safeguard our values.
There should be short- as well as long-term measures including proper legislation to check the practice of giving daughters in marriage to outside strangers without proper identity checks.
However, the need to create awareness among the public should be given top most priority, so that they can differentiate between what is good and what is bad for them as a nation. In this regard, special responsibility rests on the shoulders of the educated class, religious leaders and the media to play their due role in safeguarding the interests of Chitral in the fast-changing world.--Zar Alam Khan
Equally perturbing is the locals' reaction who took the law into their own hands and tried to vent their anger at the culprit - a la Taliban style.
We believe that there are no quick fixes to the menace which has become an eyesore for the people of the valley wherever they live besides bringing a bad name for Chitral as a whole.
Apart from socio-economic factors, lack of awareness has been the main reason why our people so quickly fall prey to the unscrupulous elements coming from many parts of the country especially Punjab. Historically, people of Chitral have lived an almost secluded life well protected from outside interferences due mainly to the geographical limitations and topographical characteristics of the valley. However, with the abrupt opening up of the valley due to revolution in communication facilities, people of Chitral now find themselves unprepared to cope with the challenges of the outside world. With the new era of communication opening-up, gangs of criminals operating in other parts of the country have also started moving to the countryside to achieve their designs. The situation would definitely become more challenging in the coming days with the construction of the Lowari tunnel completes.
What should be our collective strategy to eliminate the ills like women trafficking from our society and protect our unique culture, language and traditions. Should blackening the face of a culprit like Mahmoor would be enough to uproot the gangs involved in maligning our good name. Certainly not. There may be tens, if not hundreds, of Mahmoors who are out to tarnish the image of Chitral for the sake of a few thousands rupees. We should not even put the onus wholly on the government to safeguard our values.
There should be short- as well as long-term measures including proper legislation to check the practice of giving daughters in marriage to outside strangers without proper identity checks.
However, the need to create awareness among the public should be given top most priority, so that they can differentiate between what is good and what is bad for them as a nation. In this regard, special responsibility rests on the shoulders of the educated class, religious leaders and the media to play their due role in safeguarding the interests of Chitral in the fast-changing world.--Zar Alam Khan
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Face of man accused of women trafficking blackened in Chitral
People belonging to all walks of life in Chitral
have demanded stern action against a resident of Bakarabad
for his alleged involvement in women trafficking.
The local people also alleged that Mhmoor had been
selling innocent girls aged between 13 and 18 years
to old aged people from down districts after getting
huge amount from them under the pretext of arranging
marriages.
The local residents and workers of Anjuman Dawat Azeemat
beat him up and blackened his face and paraded him in
the bazaar. He was later handed over to police who
registered an FIR against him under the charge of
women trafficking.
The police also lodged a cross-FIR on the complaint of
the accused and arrested two members of Dawat Azeemat
for attacking him.
As a result, hundreds of students of different colleges,
members of the said NGO and trade unions protested
against the arrest of the two members of the NGO who
were produced in a civil court in presence of hundreds
of students.
The angry protesters also chanted slogans against police
and demanded action against the administration and
transfer of the DPO. The police refused to provide
any comments on the issue.--GH Farooqui
have demanded stern action against a resident of Bakarabad
for his alleged involvement in women trafficking.
The local people also alleged that Mhmoor had been
selling innocent girls aged between 13 and 18 years
to old aged people from down districts after getting
huge amount from them under the pretext of arranging
marriages.
The local residents and workers of Anjuman Dawat Azeemat
beat him up and blackened his face and paraded him in
the bazaar. He was later handed over to police who
registered an FIR against him under the charge of
women trafficking.
The police also lodged a cross-FIR on the complaint of
the accused and arrested two members of Dawat Azeemat
for attacking him.
As a result, hundreds of students of different colleges,
members of the said NGO and trade unions protested
against the arrest of the two members of the NGO who
were produced in a civil court in presence of hundreds
of students.
The angry protesters also chanted slogans against police
and demanded action against the administration and
transfer of the DPO. The police refused to provide
any comments on the issue.--GH Farooqui
Drosh residents protest power outages
CHITRAL: Residents of Drosh have been staging a sit-in protest at main Peshawar-Chitral road against the ongoing unscheduled loadshedding and slow work on Sheshi Power house that is under construction for the last three years.
The Sheshi Power Project (SPP) is being constructed by Sarhad Hydro Development Organization (SHYDO).
The angry protesters led by Qari Jamal Abdul Nasir comprising representatives of political parties and councillors are participating in the protest.
Talking to this scribe, Qari Jamal Nasir said our protest will continue and the number of protesters would increase day by day.
They demanded early completion of Sheshi Power House to resolve the problem of power supply to Drosh area. It may be mentioned that there was a small hydropower house of 300 KV at Drosh constructed by SHYDO, but it was closed last year due to absence of proper maintenace.
While on the other hand, electricity supply from national grid has not been regular and consumers of Drosh are badly suffering.--GH Farooqui
The Sheshi Power Project (SPP) is being constructed by Sarhad Hydro Development Organization (SHYDO).
The angry protesters led by Qari Jamal Abdul Nasir comprising representatives of political parties and councillors are participating in the protest.
Talking to this scribe, Qari Jamal Nasir said our protest will continue and the number of protesters would increase day by day.
They demanded early completion of Sheshi Power House to resolve the problem of power supply to Drosh area. It may be mentioned that there was a small hydropower house of 300 KV at Drosh constructed by SHYDO, but it was closed last year due to absence of proper maintenace.
While on the other hand, electricity supply from national grid has not been regular and consumers of Drosh are badly suffering.--GH Farooqui
Rumi’s thoughts can bring stability to world
ISLAMABAD: There is a dire need to spread the thoughts of Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi in order to bring stability not only to the country but also to the whole world.
This was stated by speakers at a function held in connection with the birth anniversary of Mawalana Rumi under the aegis of Rumi Forum here on Wednesday.
Those who spoke on the occasion included Azerbaijan’s Ambassador Dr Eynullah Madatli, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Religious Affairs Allama Hamid Saeed Kazmi; Naveed Zafar, Talat Farooq from the Bahria University; Dr Naeem Mushtaq, Dr Seema Arif from the University of Central Punjab; Dr Ghazala Mehdi from Quaid-i-Azam University and Ahsan Akbar.
The speakers read their papers on the thoughts of Rumi and highlighted his teachings. They said intellectuals from any religion got benefits from his Mathnawi but those who understand Islam always gained spiritual blessings from it.
“Rumi is a symbol figure for worldwide love, tolerance and dialogue. The name of Rumi stands for love and ecstatic flight into the infinite. If there is any general idea underlying his poetry, it is the absolute love of Allah.”
His influence on thought, literature and all forms of aesthetic expression in the world of Islam cannot be overrated. He is one of the great spiritual masters and poetical geniuses of mankind and is the founder of the Mawlawi Sufi order, a leading Sufi brotherhood of Islam.”
Rumi was born in Balkh on September 30, 1207, to a family of learned theologians. Escaping the Mongol invasion and destruction, Rumi and his family travelled extensively in the Muslim world, performed pilgrimage at Mecca and finally settled in Konya, Anatolia, which was part of the Seljuk rule.
When his father Sultanul Ulema Bahauddin Walad passed away, Rumi succeeded him in 1231 as professor of religious sciences. The 24-year-old Rumi was by then an accomplished scholar in religious and positive sciences.
He was introduced into the Sufi path by a wandering dervish, Shamsuddin Tabriz. His love and his bereavement for the death of Shams found their expression in a surge of music, Sema and lyric poems called Divani Shamsi Tabrizi.
Human being in the Sema is part of the inspiration of Rumi as well as of Turkish custom, history, beliefs and culture. Sema consists of seven parts.
Rumi is the author of six-volume didactic epic work, the Mathnai called ecstatically as the holy book in Persian by Jami. It discourses “Fihi ma fihi” written to introduce his disciples into metaphysics.
Rumi form is established with the sublime mission to foster intercultural dialogue and to provide a platform for education and information exchange. The Forum takes its name from the 13th century Muslim scholar-luminary-Sufi poet whose reach embraced all humanity as personified by his message that was drawn from the very essence of Islam.--Dawn
This was stated by speakers at a function held in connection with the birth anniversary of Mawalana Rumi under the aegis of Rumi Forum here on Wednesday.
Those who spoke on the occasion included Azerbaijan’s Ambassador Dr Eynullah Madatli, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Religious Affairs Allama Hamid Saeed Kazmi; Naveed Zafar, Talat Farooq from the Bahria University; Dr Naeem Mushtaq, Dr Seema Arif from the University of Central Punjab; Dr Ghazala Mehdi from Quaid-i-Azam University and Ahsan Akbar.
The speakers read their papers on the thoughts of Rumi and highlighted his teachings. They said intellectuals from any religion got benefits from his Mathnawi but those who understand Islam always gained spiritual blessings from it.
“Rumi is a symbol figure for worldwide love, tolerance and dialogue. The name of Rumi stands for love and ecstatic flight into the infinite. If there is any general idea underlying his poetry, it is the absolute love of Allah.”
His influence on thought, literature and all forms of aesthetic expression in the world of Islam cannot be overrated. He is one of the great spiritual masters and poetical geniuses of mankind and is the founder of the Mawlawi Sufi order, a leading Sufi brotherhood of Islam.”
Rumi was born in Balkh on September 30, 1207, to a family of learned theologians. Escaping the Mongol invasion and destruction, Rumi and his family travelled extensively in the Muslim world, performed pilgrimage at Mecca and finally settled in Konya, Anatolia, which was part of the Seljuk rule.
When his father Sultanul Ulema Bahauddin Walad passed away, Rumi succeeded him in 1231 as professor of religious sciences. The 24-year-old Rumi was by then an accomplished scholar in religious and positive sciences.
He was introduced into the Sufi path by a wandering dervish, Shamsuddin Tabriz. His love and his bereavement for the death of Shams found their expression in a surge of music, Sema and lyric poems called Divani Shamsi Tabrizi.
Human being in the Sema is part of the inspiration of Rumi as well as of Turkish custom, history, beliefs and culture. Sema consists of seven parts.
Rumi is the author of six-volume didactic epic work, the Mathnai called ecstatically as the holy book in Persian by Jami. It discourses “Fihi ma fihi” written to introduce his disciples into metaphysics.
Rumi form is established with the sublime mission to foster intercultural dialogue and to provide a platform for education and information exchange. The Forum takes its name from the 13th century Muslim scholar-luminary-Sufi poet whose reach embraced all humanity as personified by his message that was drawn from the very essence of Islam.--Dawn
Aga Khan's visit to Chitral - Letter 2
Can you please tell me what are the dates for this visit?
I would really like to be present on this auspicous occasion.
Thanking you in advance, and Golden Jubilee Mubaraki!!
Layla Dharsee
I would really like to be present on this auspicous occasion.
Thanking you in advance, and Golden Jubilee Mubaraki!!
Layla Dharsee
Aga Khan's visit to Chitral -Letter 1
Thank you for posting information regarding Aga Khan's visit to Chitral. We have heard that the Aga Khan will visit Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan from the 28th of October to the 6th of November, 2008. Is he vising Chitral after the 15th November? I would appreciate if you have any further news regarding the visit.
Regards,
Mohamed
via email
Regards,
Mohamed
via email
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Lowari tunnel opening to be a gigantic step, says NHA
ISLAMABAD: Excavation work on Lowari Rail Tunnel is expected to be completed by December this year. The opening of the tunnel for general public will be a
gigantic step for the people of Chitral and Northern Areas and the project
would be important for linking Pakistan with Central Asia.
This was stated by Chairman National Highway Authority (NHA) Altaf Ahmed
Chaudhry in a presentation to secretary communication Sharif Ahmed. The
secretary communication visited NHA head office on Tuesday. Lowari tunnel
is also important for strategic reasons as Chitral will not remain cut
off from the rest of the country during winter.
The NHA chairman said the project of Lakpass tunnel in Baluchistan province was completed and would be opened for traffic in January 2009. The secretary was informed that the work on the Southern part of Lyari Expressway had already been completed and opened for traffic while the northern part would be completed as soon as the encroachments were removed from the area.
gigantic step for the people of Chitral and Northern Areas and the project
would be important for linking Pakistan with Central Asia.
This was stated by Chairman National Highway Authority (NHA) Altaf Ahmed
Chaudhry in a presentation to secretary communication Sharif Ahmed. The
secretary communication visited NHA head office on Tuesday. Lowari tunnel
is also important for strategic reasons as Chitral will not remain cut
off from the rest of the country during winter.
The NHA chairman said the project of Lakpass tunnel in Baluchistan province was completed and would be opened for traffic in January 2009. The secretary was informed that the work on the Southern part of Lyari Expressway had already been completed and opened for traffic while the northern part would be completed as soon as the encroachments were removed from the area.
Arrangements for Lowari festival reviewed
A high-level meeting at the Governor Cottage in Chitral, chaired by District Nazim Haji Maghfirat Shah, discussed arrangements being made for a festival to coincide with the completion of Lowari tunnel this year.
The meeting was participated by leaders of all political and religious leaders, representatives of non-government organizations, civil society and different bodies like trade unions, drivers union, etc. The stakeholders discussed different views regarding preparation for celebration of a thanks-giving day and the festival.
They proposed to appreciate efforts of all those who played their role in construction of the Lowari tunnel.
A committee was also formed under the chair of Tehsil Nazim Chitral Sartaj Ahmad Khan to arrange and make preparations for celebrating the day in a befitting manner. The stakeholders also proposed offering Nawafal Shukrana in different mosques and public places and to go to the tunnel in a procession. They stressed upon all the members to celebrate this day and festival as well as distribute free food among the poor people irrespectively of their political affiliation.
They suggested to celebrate this day at the subdivision Mastuj and Chitral as well as at each tehsil and union council levels. They stressed upon all stakeholders to celebrate this festival as a nation and to not politicize it. Some participants also opposed the proposed gazette holiday announcement and stressed on hard work for development of Chitral.
AKHS offered a helicopter service for the VVIP arrival and movement. They also demanded proper documentation and preparation of a book on post- and pro-Lowari scenario and to mention names of all heroes whose efforts materilazed this long-awaited demand of Chitral people.
The participants also expressed their concern over the likely demographic changes in the valley after completion of the Lowari tunnel which will affect the local language, culture and tradition.
They said after completion of Lowari tunnel more opportunities of development will be available in Chitral. The stakeholders said this was a moment of pleasure for the people of Chitral because thousands of Chitralis had lost their lives while crossing the lowari top.--GH Farooqui
The meeting was participated by leaders of all political and religious leaders, representatives of non-government organizations, civil society and different bodies like trade unions, drivers union, etc. The stakeholders discussed different views regarding preparation for celebration of a thanks-giving day and the festival.
They proposed to appreciate efforts of all those who played their role in construction of the Lowari tunnel.
A committee was also formed under the chair of Tehsil Nazim Chitral Sartaj Ahmad Khan to arrange and make preparations for celebrating the day in a befitting manner. The stakeholders also proposed offering Nawafal Shukrana in different mosques and public places and to go to the tunnel in a procession. They stressed upon all the members to celebrate this day and festival as well as distribute free food among the poor people irrespectively of their political affiliation.
They suggested to celebrate this day at the subdivision Mastuj and Chitral as well as at each tehsil and union council levels. They stressed upon all stakeholders to celebrate this festival as a nation and to not politicize it. Some participants also opposed the proposed gazette holiday announcement and stressed on hard work for development of Chitral.
AKHS offered a helicopter service for the VVIP arrival and movement. They also demanded proper documentation and preparation of a book on post- and pro-Lowari scenario and to mention names of all heroes whose efforts materilazed this long-awaited demand of Chitral people.
The participants also expressed their concern over the likely demographic changes in the valley after completion of the Lowari tunnel which will affect the local language, culture and tradition.
They said after completion of Lowari tunnel more opportunities of development will be available in Chitral. The stakeholders said this was a moment of pleasure for the people of Chitral because thousands of Chitralis had lost their lives while crossing the lowari top.--GH Farooqui
Widow's allegations denied
Report GH Farooqui, Chitral
A family in Chitral has denied allegations that they have occupied the land of a widow in Jinjirat area.
Addressing a press conference at their residence, Ubaidullah Qureshi, Ahmad Buzurg, Qawarullah and others said the allegations of the widow of Akhunzada Rahmatullah that they had occupied her land were basesless. They claimed that the late husband of the woman had sold the land to their grandfather in 1963 and received the cost. They said they had all relevant documents as a proof that the land was their's. They also denied the allegations that they had beaten and torn the clothes of the woman.
"After purchasing the land from her husband, the land has been in our possession but we allowed the widow to live in the house sold by her husband on humanitarian grounds besides reserving a piece of land for her for cultivation purpose. But an outsider, Haji Sultan, has also purchased land from Qazi Niamatullay, the brother of Akhunzada Rahmatullah and settled in the area," they added.
They also alleged that Sultan had declared the widow as his mother and was
provoking her to harass them in order to get more land from her.
It may be mentioned that the widow had held a press conference recently and
accused the Qureshi family of occupying her land.
Meanwhile, Tehsil Nazim Chitral Sartaj Ahmad Khan said he was trying to
settle the dispute amicably.
A family in Chitral has denied allegations that they have occupied the land of a widow in Jinjirat area.
Addressing a press conference at their residence, Ubaidullah Qureshi, Ahmad Buzurg, Qawarullah and others said the allegations of the widow of Akhunzada Rahmatullah that they had occupied her land were basesless. They claimed that the late husband of the woman had sold the land to their grandfather in 1963 and received the cost. They said they had all relevant documents as a proof that the land was their's. They also denied the allegations that they had beaten and torn the clothes of the woman.
"After purchasing the land from her husband, the land has been in our possession but we allowed the widow to live in the house sold by her husband on humanitarian grounds besides reserving a piece of land for her for cultivation purpose. But an outsider, Haji Sultan, has also purchased land from Qazi Niamatullay, the brother of Akhunzada Rahmatullah and settled in the area," they added.
They also alleged that Sultan had declared the widow as his mother and was
provoking her to harass them in order to get more land from her.
It may be mentioned that the widow had held a press conference recently and
accused the Qureshi family of occupying her land.
Meanwhile, Tehsil Nazim Chitral Sartaj Ahmad Khan said he was trying to
settle the dispute amicably.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Proposed Lowari tunnel festival - Letter
Please refer to the news item published in Chitral Update regarding the recent session of the ditrict council and tehsil councils of Chitral and Mastuj, in which the members discussed organising a festival commemorating the completion of the Lowari tunnel.
The district governmnet reportedly is in the fore front in organising the festival. It may be mentioned that the same district government headed by the nazim belonging to Jamaat-i-Islami had opposed tooth and nail the holding of Jashn-i-Chitral recently on the ground that Chitral cannot afford the event when people in the neighbouring districts were being killed and dead bodies of Chitrali policemen and army jawans were brought home from the troubled areas.
Even one political representative had said that the proposed Jashan could have attracted terrorists not tourists.
I would like to ask the authorities concerned whether overnight law and order situation has changed in the neighbouring districts or it was just opposition for the sake of opposition because Jashan-i-Chitral was being organised by some NGOs and the provincial government led by the PPP.
Javed Karim,
email: chitraliasum99@yahoo.com
The district governmnet reportedly is in the fore front in organising the festival. It may be mentioned that the same district government headed by the nazim belonging to Jamaat-i-Islami had opposed tooth and nail the holding of Jashn-i-Chitral recently on the ground that Chitral cannot afford the event when people in the neighbouring districts were being killed and dead bodies of Chitrali policemen and army jawans were brought home from the troubled areas.
Even one political representative had said that the proposed Jashan could have attracted terrorists not tourists.
I would like to ask the authorities concerned whether overnight law and order situation has changed in the neighbouring districts or it was just opposition for the sake of opposition because Jashan-i-Chitral was being organised by some NGOs and the provincial government led by the PPP.
Javed Karim,
email: chitraliasum99@yahoo.com
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Multi-stakeholder forum - Letter
I read with great interest the news story published in Chitral Update about the multi-stakeholder forum held in Chitral under the aegis of AKRSP to discuss various dimensions of the women rights in Chitral and make recommendations to protect them.
It is a great initiative which recognizes the fact that women are equal members of society, community and family, thus they are entitled to have equal rights and privileges available to men.
I, however, found it strange, rather outrageous, that women were there only to listen to all male speakers. By excluding women to speak on behalf of women, the forum has perpetuated man chauvinism rather than promoting women's rights. Today, there are Chitrali women who are well educated, successful educators, politicians, doctors and social activists; they have the ability and courage to stand in front of the audiance and articulate their aspirations as well as their concerns. Strangely enough, one speaker pointed out that education is the only solution to the causes of imbalance in gender equality.
If that was the case then the speakers of the forum should have cosisted of both genders to demonstrate a gender balance which in this case was totally tilted to
one side. Unless genuine attitudinal change towards women occurs, jargons like women rights, women empowerment, gender equality and so on are but hollow statements and have no real meaning for the women in Chitral.
Mir Baiz Khan
Toronto
Arrangements for Lowari tunnel festival discussed
Report GH Farooqui, Chitral
A joint session of the Tehsil Council Chitral, Mastuj
and the district councils under the chair of Sultan
Shah decided to celebrate a thanks-giving day on
completion of teh excavation work on Lowari Rail
Tunnel.
The session discussed different aspects of Lowari
tunnel project.
The members paid tributes to former chairman NHA Farrukh Javed
for his keen interest in the project. Through another unanimous
resolution, they decided to hold a thanks-giving day on
completion of the tunnel and to observe a one-day holiday in the
district.
Nawafil-i-Shukrana would also be offered on the same day in
different mosques and public places by the people of Chitral.
Free food would be distributed among the poor by the district
government.
A committee comprising all stakeholders was formed to make
arrangements for the celebrations of Lowari tunnel. They
also passed a resolution to declare Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and
Parvez Musharaf as benefactors (mohsin) of Chitral.
LAND SALE: The house also demanded imposition of a ban on
purchase of land in Chitral by outsiders, fearing that with
the opening of the tunnel, a large number of outsiders will
move into the district to purchase land.
A joint session of the Tehsil Council Chitral, Mastuj
and the district councils under the chair of Sultan
Shah decided to celebrate a thanks-giving day on
completion of teh excavation work on Lowari Rail
Tunnel.
The session discussed different aspects of Lowari
tunnel project.
The members paid tributes to former chairman NHA Farrukh Javed
for his keen interest in the project. Through another unanimous
resolution, they decided to hold a thanks-giving day on
completion of the tunnel and to observe a one-day holiday in the
district.
Nawafil-i-Shukrana would also be offered on the same day in
different mosques and public places by the people of Chitral.
Free food would be distributed among the poor by the district
government.
A committee comprising all stakeholders was formed to make
arrangements for the celebrations of Lowari tunnel. They
also passed a resolution to declare Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and
Parvez Musharaf as benefactors (mohsin) of Chitral.
LAND SALE: The house also demanded imposition of a ban on
purchase of land in Chitral by outsiders, fearing that with
the opening of the tunnel, a large number of outsiders will
move into the district to purchase land.
Aga Khan to visit Chitral in mid-November?
CHITRAL: Prince Karim Aga Khan is expected to visit Chitral in the second week of November. The Aga Khan will be on a ten-day-long visit of Central Asian countries from October 28.
In this regard, the Ismaili community in Chitral is finalising arrangements to welcome their spiritual leader to the valley. The Aga Khan will meet the jamaat at four places in Chitral. The people of Wakhan in Afghanistan are also scheduled to have a glimpse of the Aga Khan in Brep, Yarkhun. Community volunteers visited the area recently for the registration of the people of Wakhan intending to come to
Brep village on the occasion.
This year, the His Highness will also meet special persons and senior citizens
from the community separately.
In this regard, the Ismaili community in Chitral is finalising arrangements to welcome their spiritual leader to the valley. The Aga Khan will meet the jamaat at four places in Chitral. The people of Wakhan in Afghanistan are also scheduled to have a glimpse of the Aga Khan in Brep, Yarkhun. Community volunteers visited the area recently for the registration of the people of Wakhan intending to come to
Brep village on the occasion.
This year, the His Highness will also meet special persons and senior citizens
from the community separately.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Body on women's rights formed in Chitral
CHITRAL: The Regional Women Empowerment Project, a project of AKRSP Chitral organized a one day multi stakeholder's forum with an aim to gather all the major Chitral based stakeholder organizations in a common platform to highlight the various dimensions of women rights violations in Chitral. The event was attended by a large number both men and women representing various Govt, Non government and Civil Society Organization from across Chitral District. The gathering, at the end of the day, devised recommendations to address women right violations around four themes i.e. legal rights, political rights, social and economic rights. The Regional Women Empowerment Project would follow these recommendations in its current three years phase as action plan. Regional Program Manager AKRSP, Eng. Sardar Ayub while addressing the gathering emphasized on joining hands in the struggle of women empowerment, in turn, reducing gender inequality in Chitral. He said that empowerment of women has its origin in Islam and the culture of Chitral is well equipped with examples of role models and that it¢s not a foreign agenda that AKRSP and its projects have been following since decades. Dr Inayatullah Faizi, a renowned scholar gave an overview on the history and dimensions of women empowerment in Chitral during different ages. Shah Karez, a local development practitioner and educationist, who has also been working in Afghanistan and Iraq with different organizations, concluded the event. In his concluding remarks, Shah Karez said that Education, though a long term process, is the only solution to all the rout causes of the imbalances in the society in terms of gender.--GH Farooqui
US drones fly over Chitral?
ISLAMABAD: Some TV channels are reporting that American
drones violated Pakistan's airspace in Chitral on Friday
morning.
The channels said the US planes remained in the air over
Chitral for some time and returned to Afghanistan
creating fear amongst the people.
However, our sources in Chitral denied that there was
any intrusion by the US drones into Chitral
airspace.
drones violated Pakistan's airspace in Chitral on Friday
morning.
The channels said the US planes remained in the air over
Chitral for some time and returned to Afghanistan
creating fear amongst the people.
However, our sources in Chitral denied that there was
any intrusion by the US drones into Chitral
airspace.
Five cases of violence against women in Chitral in three months
PESHAWAR: As many as 261 cases of violence against women were reported in the NWFP from July to September 2008, said a report released by civil society organisations. Five of them were registered with the Chitral police.
The quarterly report on violence against women was compiled by Aurat Foundation and Violence against Women Watch Group in collaboration with Trocaire. The data has been collected from newspaper reports, hospitals (medico-legal reports) and two women crisis centres. Aurat Foundation resident director Shabina Ayaz said out of a total of 261 cases, 97 were reported in Peshawar district, 39 in Mardan, 21 in Charsadda, 13 in Nowshera, 12 in Swat, 11 each in Mansehra and Swabi, nine in Buner, six each in Abbottabad and Dera Ismail Khan, five each in Chitral, Kohat, Haripur and Malakand, four in Upper Dir, two each in Tank and Lower Dir, one each in Karak, Batagram, Kohistan, Shangla, Bannu district, and Mohmand and Bajaur agencies. She said the nature of violence was murder, head and body injuries, kidnapping, honour killing, suicide, customary practices (Vanni) and domestic violence. According to the quarterly report, total number of victims in 261 cases is 312 out of whom 265 are women and 47 men. The reasons for violence are family and property disputes, refusal to marriage proposals, illicit relationship, spying against Taliban, poverty, dispute with in laws, forced marriages, domestic violence, ransom and several unknown reasons. Out of 261 cases, 210 were registered with the police (first information reports), 27 unregistered and there is no information about 24 cases whether they were registered or not. It has been observed that most of the violence cases reported from Peshawar are from Urmar, Mathra and Tehkal, villages adjacent to the provincial capital.
The quarterly report on violence against women was compiled by Aurat Foundation and Violence against Women Watch Group in collaboration with Trocaire. The data has been collected from newspaper reports, hospitals (medico-legal reports) and two women crisis centres. Aurat Foundation resident director Shabina Ayaz said out of a total of 261 cases, 97 were reported in Peshawar district, 39 in Mardan, 21 in Charsadda, 13 in Nowshera, 12 in Swat, 11 each in Mansehra and Swabi, nine in Buner, six each in Abbottabad and Dera Ismail Khan, five each in Chitral, Kohat, Haripur and Malakand, four in Upper Dir, two each in Tank and Lower Dir, one each in Karak, Batagram, Kohistan, Shangla, Bannu district, and Mohmand and Bajaur agencies. She said the nature of violence was murder, head and body injuries, kidnapping, honour killing, suicide, customary practices (Vanni) and domestic violence. According to the quarterly report, total number of victims in 261 cases is 312 out of whom 265 are women and 47 men. The reasons for violence are family and property disputes, refusal to marriage proposals, illicit relationship, spying against Taliban, poverty, dispute with in laws, forced marriages, domestic violence, ransom and several unknown reasons. Out of 261 cases, 210 were registered with the police (first information reports), 27 unregistered and there is no information about 24 cases whether they were registered or not. It has been observed that most of the violence cases reported from Peshawar are from Urmar, Mathra and Tehkal, villages adjacent to the provincial capital.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Bids for trophy hunting invited
The NWFP wildlife department has sought bids from hunters/outfitters for hunting permits of 10 Himalayan ibexes and four Kashmiri Markhors under the trophy hunting scheme in Chitral and Kohistan districts
Advertisements are being floated in the press and bidders are asked to submit their offer till October 31, said Chief Conservator Wildlife Dr Mumtaz Malik.
In order to attract maximum number of hunters and advertise biding internationally, the advertisements will also be notified in all the leading newspapers of English and Urdu languages and websites of international organizations dealing with wildlife, he added.
After completion of the bidding process, permits will be issued and hunting will start from December 2008 to March 2009.
He said the trophy hunting will be permissible only in community game reserves in district Chitral and Kohistan.
About terms and conditions of hunting, Dr Mumtaz said every hunter desirous of hunting markhor in Chitral will be required to buy hunting permit for Himalayan ibex as well. Last year, four Markhor permits were sold for Dollar 81,000, 68,000 and 58,000, respectively while Himalayan ibex permits were sold for $3,000 each.
Big Game Shooting License Fee of $100 will be charged in addition to the trophy hunting permit fee.--APP
Advertisements are being floated in the press and bidders are asked to submit their offer till October 31, said Chief Conservator Wildlife Dr Mumtaz Malik.
In order to attract maximum number of hunters and advertise biding internationally, the advertisements will also be notified in all the leading newspapers of English and Urdu languages and websites of international organizations dealing with wildlife, he added.
After completion of the bidding process, permits will be issued and hunting will start from December 2008 to March 2009.
He said the trophy hunting will be permissible only in community game reserves in district Chitral and Kohistan.
About terms and conditions of hunting, Dr Mumtaz said every hunter desirous of hunting markhor in Chitral will be required to buy hunting permit for Himalayan ibex as well. Last year, four Markhor permits were sold for Dollar 81,000, 68,000 and 58,000, respectively while Himalayan ibex permits were sold for $3,000 each.
Big Game Shooting License Fee of $100 will be charged in addition to the trophy hunting permit fee.--APP
Monday, October 13, 2008
Over 3,000 Benazir income support cards distributed in Chitral
CHITRAL: AS many as 3,300 Benazir Income Support
Programme cards were issued to local committees
for distribution among the deserving people in
the Mastuj tehsil.
MNA Shahzada Mohiuddin and MPA Ghulam Mohammad
were present at the ceremony held in Booni the
other day.
Initially, about 310 cards were issued to each of the 10
union councils of the tehsil. There are 24 union councils
in the district. A total of 8,000 cards have been issued
to the ditrict so far.
Speaking on the occasion, the MNA asked the
committees to distribute the cards among the
deserving persons irrespective of their
political affiliations.
Programme cards were issued to local committees
for distribution among the deserving people in
the Mastuj tehsil.
MNA Shahzada Mohiuddin and MPA Ghulam Mohammad
were present at the ceremony held in Booni the
other day.
Initially, about 310 cards were issued to each of the 10
union councils of the tehsil. There are 24 union councils
in the district. A total of 8,000 cards have been issued
to the ditrict so far.
Speaking on the occasion, the MNA asked the
committees to distribute the cards among the
deserving persons irrespective of their
political affiliations.
Preparations to welcome Aga Khan in full swing in Chitral
The Ismaili community in Chitral donated 400 cattle (yaks, goats, sheep and cows) as well as precious carpets and handmade items to Darbar Fund to express joy at visit of their spiritual leader to Chitral that is expected in mid-November.
These cattle were sold at Booni and the fund was deposited with Darbar Fund. MNA from Chitral Shahzada Muhauiddin was chief guest on the occasion of cattle sale point (mela) while MPA Ghulam Muhammad, Tehsil Nazim Mastuj Shahzada Sikandar and other notables of the area were also present on the occasion. Thousands of people visited the mela.
This is the first time that all expenditures for Prince Karim Aga Khan’s visit to Chitral would be borne by the local faithful. The cattle and other items were donated on the appeal of Sardar Hussain, convener, Darbar Fund, Chitral.
All expenditures of the visit would be borne by the Darbar Fund and the spiritual leader and 49th Imam of the Ismaili community would be given a tumultuous welcome on his arrival. Sardar Hussain, regional convener of Darbar Fund, said their target for the fund was Rs10 million in which some six million had been collected from local Ismailis. He said uniformed volunteers had arrived from Boroghul and Yarkhun valley, hundreds kilometres away from here. A handicrafts and local fruit-exhibition show was also arranged side by side with the mela.
Kaneez Fatma, coordinator of Meraman Project, funded by empowerment through creative integration, had arranged the exhibition. She said some 380 local women were trained in different handicrafts and marketing.--Agencies
These cattle were sold at Booni and the fund was deposited with Darbar Fund. MNA from Chitral Shahzada Muhauiddin was chief guest on the occasion of cattle sale point (mela) while MPA Ghulam Muhammad, Tehsil Nazim Mastuj Shahzada Sikandar and other notables of the area were also present on the occasion. Thousands of people visited the mela.
This is the first time that all expenditures for Prince Karim Aga Khan’s visit to Chitral would be borne by the local faithful. The cattle and other items were donated on the appeal of Sardar Hussain, convener, Darbar Fund, Chitral.
All expenditures of the visit would be borne by the Darbar Fund and the spiritual leader and 49th Imam of the Ismaili community would be given a tumultuous welcome on his arrival. Sardar Hussain, regional convener of Darbar Fund, said their target for the fund was Rs10 million in which some six million had been collected from local Ismailis. He said uniformed volunteers had arrived from Boroghul and Yarkhun valley, hundreds kilometres away from here. A handicrafts and local fruit-exhibition show was also arranged side by side with the mela.
Kaneez Fatma, coordinator of Meraman Project, funded by empowerment through creative integration, had arranged the exhibition. She said some 380 local women were trained in different handicrafts and marketing.--Agencies
Anti-polio drive begins in Chitral
CHITRAL: A three-day anti-polio campaign began in the district on Monday. In this connection, a meeting was held at the office of DCO Mautasimbillah Shah yesterday. MPA Ghulam Mohammad, Naib District Nazim Sultan Shah and EDO Health Dr Sher Qayyum and officials of the other concerned departments attended the meet.
EDO health informed the participants that during the three-day anti-polio drive, 75,682 children of up to five years age would be administered polio drops. For the purpose, 231 house-to-house visiting teams, 29 mobile teams, one permanent centre while three transit centres would be established at Ashreet, Arando and Airport area, he informed the participants.
On this occasion, DCO directed officials of health and education department to inform public about the preventive measures regarding polio, hepatitis and tuberculosis. He urged teachers to give five minutes special lectures to students regarding the diseases and its prevention. The EDO also stressed upon the use of iodized salt and appealed religious scholars, union nazimeen and councillors to play their role in moulding public opinion.
EDO health informed the participants that during the three-day anti-polio drive, 75,682 children of up to five years age would be administered polio drops. For the purpose, 231 house-to-house visiting teams, 29 mobile teams, one permanent centre while three transit centres would be established at Ashreet, Arando and Airport area, he informed the participants.
On this occasion, DCO directed officials of health and education department to inform public about the preventive measures regarding polio, hepatitis and tuberculosis. He urged teachers to give five minutes special lectures to students regarding the diseases and its prevention. The EDO also stressed upon the use of iodized salt and appealed religious scholars, union nazimeen and councillors to play their role in moulding public opinion.
NHA agrees to open Lowari tunnel in winter
The National Highway Authority (NHA) has agreed in principle to open the under-construction Lowari Tunnel for light traffic during upcoming winter on temporary basis.
In this regard, Provincial Minister for Population Welfare Saleem Khan called on the chairman NHA in Islamabad, and formally demanded to open the tunnel for light traffic in order to keep Chitral connected with other parts of the country, a handout issued in Peshawar said.
Chairman NHA assured the provincial minister of opening the tunnel for light traffic on temporary basis as soon as the provincial government makes the required security arrangements and issues no objection certificate (NOC).
It is worth mentioning that the NWFP governor and chief minister have already agreed to open the tunnel during the upcoming winter and a summary to this effect has already moved by the provincial government.
In this regard, Provincial Minister for Population Welfare Saleem Khan called on the chairman NHA in Islamabad, and formally demanded to open the tunnel for light traffic in order to keep Chitral connected with other parts of the country, a handout issued in Peshawar said.
Chairman NHA assured the provincial minister of opening the tunnel for light traffic on temporary basis as soon as the provincial government makes the required security arrangements and issues no objection certificate (NOC).
It is worth mentioning that the NWFP governor and chief minister have already agreed to open the tunnel during the upcoming winter and a summary to this effect has already moved by the provincial government.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
MNA justifies supporting PPP
By Our Correspondent
CHITRAL: MNA Shahzada Mohiuddin has said that he supported the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in the presidential election to ensure continuation of the development process initiated in the district.
Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, he said that nothing was dearer to him than the development of his constituency and it was due to this reason that he returned to the lower house of the parliament for the fourth time.
Mr Mohyuddin was elected as an MNA from Chitral on the PML-Q ticket.
He said that due to its enormous size and mountainous topography, the district was far backward and provision of basic infrastructures was yet a dream and they needed uplift funds.
The MNA said that a number of development projects had been started during the government of the PML-Q which included Golen Gol hydel project, Booni-Shandur road, construction of truck-able bridge at Mastuj and extension of the Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) to the district.
He said the present government had decided to continue the ongoing development projects in Chitral for which he was grateful to President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani.
“I have obtained Benazir Income Support Cards from the federal government, which will be equally distributed among the 24 union councils,” he said and added that the cards would be awarded to deserving women irrespective of their political affiliations and a transparent way would be adopted in this process.
CHITRAL: MNA Shahzada Mohiuddin has said that he supported the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in the presidential election to ensure continuation of the development process initiated in the district.
Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, he said that nothing was dearer to him than the development of his constituency and it was due to this reason that he returned to the lower house of the parliament for the fourth time.
Mr Mohyuddin was elected as an MNA from Chitral on the PML-Q ticket.
He said that due to its enormous size and mountainous topography, the district was far backward and provision of basic infrastructures was yet a dream and they needed uplift funds.
The MNA said that a number of development projects had been started during the government of the PML-Q which included Golen Gol hydel project, Booni-Shandur road, construction of truck-able bridge at Mastuj and extension of the Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) to the district.
He said the present government had decided to continue the ongoing development projects in Chitral for which he was grateful to President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani.
“I have obtained Benazir Income Support Cards from the federal government, which will be equally distributed among the 24 union councils,” he said and added that the cards would be awarded to deserving women irrespective of their political affiliations and a transparent way would be adopted in this process.
Timely completion of uplift projects ordered
DCO Mutasim Billah Shah has directed the officials of different devolved departments to ensure completion of development projects within the stipulated time while keeping the quality of the work.
Presiding over a meeting of the officers in connection with the preparation of annual development programmes for the next fiscal year here on Saturday, he said that no laxity would be tolerated as the inordinate delay in completion of projects caused problems for the people.
A number of development schemes were discussed on the occasion keeping in view their modalities for the area.
Presiding over a meeting of the officers in connection with the preparation of annual development programmes for the next fiscal year here on Saturday, he said that no laxity would be tolerated as the inordinate delay in completion of projects caused problems for the people.
A number of development schemes were discussed on the occasion keeping in view their modalities for the area.
Impersonator arrested
Chitral police arrested a person impersonating himself as a police constable here on Saturday. SHO of Chitral police Inspector Mohammad Khalid said he spotted the suspect, Mohammad Anwar, a resident of Lotkoh valley, wearing police uniform in the bazaar.
He said the person was arrested on the spot and his remand has been obtained from the local court and investigations are in progress.
He said the person was arrested on the spot and his remand has been obtained from the local court and investigations are in progress.
Opening of Lowari tunnel for light traffic demanded
PESHAWAR: A 15-member delegation of Chitral Students Welfare Association and notables of Chitral led by NWFP minister for population welfare called on NWFP Governor Owais Ahmad Ghani and discussed with him various issues related to Chitral.
The delegation informed the governor that people of Chitral used to travel via Afghanistan and Mohmand Agency during winter seasons after the blockade of Lowari Top due to heavy snowfall. But this year it was not possible to travel through Afghanistan and Mohmand Agency because of ongoing operations against the militants in the tribal areas, they said.
The delegation demanded that arrangements should be made to open the under-construction Lowari tunnel for light traffic on temporary basis during the coming winter season.
The governor told the delegation that he would contact the federal government and National Highway Authority to open the tunnel for light traffic on temporary basis soon after the excavation work was over.
The delegation demanded that various valley roads of Chitral including Chitral-Garam Chasma Road, Drosh-Arandu Road, Booni- Yarkhun Road, Booni-Torkhow Road should be widened.
The delegation told the governor that Chitral was the only safe and feasible route to connect Pakistan with Central Asian Countries to which the governor responded that correspondence with concerned quarters to that affect had already been under taken and hopefully there would soon be a leap forward in that regard.
The delegation proposed to strengthen Chitral police and Chitral border police so as to keep vigilant eye on the bordering areas to avoid any possible incursion of militants into Chitral. The governor said that Chitral was the most peaceful area of the province and the government would take every possible step to maintain it peaceful environment.
On this occasion, members of Chitral Students Association demand that reserved seats for Chitrali students in Khyber Medical College should be increased and one seat for Chitrali students be reserved in each department of Peshawar University and one seat in the Women Medical College.
The governor termed the demand of the students just and assured them of taking necessary steps in that regard.
The provincial minister invited the governor to pay a visit to Chitral, which the governor accepted and assured him that he would visit Chitral at the earliest.--APP
The delegation informed the governor that people of Chitral used to travel via Afghanistan and Mohmand Agency during winter seasons after the blockade of Lowari Top due to heavy snowfall. But this year it was not possible to travel through Afghanistan and Mohmand Agency because of ongoing operations against the militants in the tribal areas, they said.
The delegation demanded that arrangements should be made to open the under-construction Lowari tunnel for light traffic on temporary basis during the coming winter season.
The governor told the delegation that he would contact the federal government and National Highway Authority to open the tunnel for light traffic on temporary basis soon after the excavation work was over.
The delegation demanded that various valley roads of Chitral including Chitral-Garam Chasma Road, Drosh-Arandu Road, Booni- Yarkhun Road, Booni-Torkhow Road should be widened.
The delegation told the governor that Chitral was the only safe and feasible route to connect Pakistan with Central Asian Countries to which the governor responded that correspondence with concerned quarters to that affect had already been under taken and hopefully there would soon be a leap forward in that regard.
The delegation proposed to strengthen Chitral police and Chitral border police so as to keep vigilant eye on the bordering areas to avoid any possible incursion of militants into Chitral. The governor said that Chitral was the most peaceful area of the province and the government would take every possible step to maintain it peaceful environment.
On this occasion, members of Chitral Students Association demand that reserved seats for Chitrali students in Khyber Medical College should be increased and one seat for Chitrali students be reserved in each department of Peshawar University and one seat in the Women Medical College.
The governor termed the demand of the students just and assured them of taking necessary steps in that regard.
The provincial minister invited the governor to pay a visit to Chitral, which the governor accepted and assured him that he would visit Chitral at the earliest.--APP
Friday, October 10, 2008
Shortage of technical staff mars uplift in Chitral
Report Zahiruddin
CHITRAL: The shortage of technical staff in the works and services department has affected pace of development activities and projects worth millions of rupees have been put at stake, sources said on Friday.
The sources said that the post of deputy director of water and sanitation was lying vacant for the last six months while three posts of assistant directors and seven sub-engineers were vacant for the last one year.
The apathy of the government could be gauged from the fact that the department was being run by only a single sub-engineer for execution of two projects worth Rs100 million at Drosh and Booni, the sources maintained.
There were scores of other small and medium sized water supply and sanitation projects work on which had either been stopped or being carried out using substandard material due to the absence of competent engineering staff, the sources further said.
They said that due to shortage of staff projects of roads and buildings were being affected adversely, as only three sub-engineers were presently available to cover the whole district, adding the district was also going to be deprived of its due share in the annual development programme (ADP) for the forthcoming fiscal year.
They said that many projects of vital importance had either been dropped or could not be completed within the stipulated time.
They said that detailed estimates of different schemes were to be submitted to the provincial government to be included in the draft proposals of the ADP but the capacity of the works and services department was not that much to prepare the documents by December this year.
When contacted, district nazim Maghfirat Shah said he had been trying his best to fill the posts but without success.
He alleged that the provincial government was turning a deaf ear to his requests as the departments provided basic and primary infrastructure facilities to the people and any inertia at the government level could not be afforded.
Mr Shah said that area-wise Chitral was the biggest district in the province and thus needed more manpower to timely complete the development projects and repair and maintain the existing road and water supply infrastructure.
He said that the nazims of various union councils had even warned to lock out the district offices of the departments if the vacant posts were not filled within two weeks.
CHITRAL: The shortage of technical staff in the works and services department has affected pace of development activities and projects worth millions of rupees have been put at stake, sources said on Friday.
The sources said that the post of deputy director of water and sanitation was lying vacant for the last six months while three posts of assistant directors and seven sub-engineers were vacant for the last one year.
The apathy of the government could be gauged from the fact that the department was being run by only a single sub-engineer for execution of two projects worth Rs100 million at Drosh and Booni, the sources maintained.
There were scores of other small and medium sized water supply and sanitation projects work on which had either been stopped or being carried out using substandard material due to the absence of competent engineering staff, the sources further said.
They said that due to shortage of staff projects of roads and buildings were being affected adversely, as only three sub-engineers were presently available to cover the whole district, adding the district was also going to be deprived of its due share in the annual development programme (ADP) for the forthcoming fiscal year.
They said that many projects of vital importance had either been dropped or could not be completed within the stipulated time.
They said that detailed estimates of different schemes were to be submitted to the provincial government to be included in the draft proposals of the ADP but the capacity of the works and services department was not that much to prepare the documents by December this year.
When contacted, district nazim Maghfirat Shah said he had been trying his best to fill the posts but without success.
He alleged that the provincial government was turning a deaf ear to his requests as the departments provided basic and primary infrastructure facilities to the people and any inertia at the government level could not be afforded.
Mr Shah said that area-wise Chitral was the biggest district in the province and thus needed more manpower to timely complete the development projects and repair and maintain the existing road and water supply infrastructure.
He said that the nazims of various union councils had even warned to lock out the district offices of the departments if the vacant posts were not filled within two weeks.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Bajaur blockade to hurt Chitralis too
DAWN
By Zar Alam Khan
ISLAMABAD: Nestled among the Hindukush mountains, the district of Chitral has so far remained unaffected by the war on terrorism. But in the coming winter the Chitralis are likely to be locked up in their rugged valley due to the blockade of the Kunar-Bajaur route which they have been using as an alternative to the over 10,000-foot-high Lowari Pass from December to May every year.
When the Lowari road connecting Chitral with other parts of the country remains closed due to hundreds of feet deep snow for about five months in winter, the people of the district take the alternative route via Afghanistan’s Kunar province and enter the Bajaur Agency via the Nawa pass on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border to reach other parts of the country. However, the ongoing military operation has made Bajaur a no-go area this year.
To avoid being completely cut-off from rest of the world, the residents of Chitral have demanded that the government should make special arrangements for resolving their communication-related problems before the closure of the only road linking the valley with the rest of the country via the Lowari Pass.
In this regard, they stressed the need to increase the number of PIA flights from Peshawar and Islamabad besides starting a helicopter service like one launched in 1996 between upper Dir and Drosh in Chitral by the then NWFP government.
They warned that if the PIA suspended the Islamabad-Chitral flights on the pretext of unavailability of passengers this year again, they would launch a protest movement against the government.
It may be noted that the PIA had launched its Chitral service from the federal capital in June last year on the repeated demands of the residents to lessen their communication problems besides facilitating foreign tourists visiting the area. However, the national-flag carrier suspended the operation in November 2007 citing lack of passengers. The Chitralis, however, alleged that some elements in the PIA were opposed to the initiative and had tried from the very beginning to sabotage the service by denying tickets to the intending passengers and inflicting losses on the corporation.
They said the PIA was also to be blamed for the lack of passengers on the Islamabad-Chitral flight because neither it had publicised the launch of the service nor facilitated the intending passengers in getting tickets. Besides, to discourage the passengers it kept the fare at Rs3,600 against Rs2,900 for Gilgit which is situated at a longer distance from Islamabad than Chitral. The people of Chitral pointed out that the return flights from their town always remained full to capacity while ticket seekers in the PIA’s Rawalpindi and Islamabad offices were turned away on one pretext or the other.
They called upon their public representatives to take up the issue with the government to ensure uninterrupted flights to the district till the under-construction Lowari tunnel becomes operational.
By Zar Alam Khan
ISLAMABAD: Nestled among the Hindukush mountains, the district of Chitral has so far remained unaffected by the war on terrorism. But in the coming winter the Chitralis are likely to be locked up in their rugged valley due to the blockade of the Kunar-Bajaur route which they have been using as an alternative to the over 10,000-foot-high Lowari Pass from December to May every year.
When the Lowari road connecting Chitral with other parts of the country remains closed due to hundreds of feet deep snow for about five months in winter, the people of the district take the alternative route via Afghanistan’s Kunar province and enter the Bajaur Agency via the Nawa pass on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border to reach other parts of the country. However, the ongoing military operation has made Bajaur a no-go area this year.
To avoid being completely cut-off from rest of the world, the residents of Chitral have demanded that the government should make special arrangements for resolving their communication-related problems before the closure of the only road linking the valley with the rest of the country via the Lowari Pass.
In this regard, they stressed the need to increase the number of PIA flights from Peshawar and Islamabad besides starting a helicopter service like one launched in 1996 between upper Dir and Drosh in Chitral by the then NWFP government.
They warned that if the PIA suspended the Islamabad-Chitral flights on the pretext of unavailability of passengers this year again, they would launch a protest movement against the government.
It may be noted that the PIA had launched its Chitral service from the federal capital in June last year on the repeated demands of the residents to lessen their communication problems besides facilitating foreign tourists visiting the area. However, the national-flag carrier suspended the operation in November 2007 citing lack of passengers. The Chitralis, however, alleged that some elements in the PIA were opposed to the initiative and had tried from the very beginning to sabotage the service by denying tickets to the intending passengers and inflicting losses on the corporation.
They said the PIA was also to be blamed for the lack of passengers on the Islamabad-Chitral flight because neither it had publicised the launch of the service nor facilitated the intending passengers in getting tickets. Besides, to discourage the passengers it kept the fare at Rs3,600 against Rs2,900 for Gilgit which is situated at a longer distance from Islamabad than Chitral. The people of Chitral pointed out that the return flights from their town always remained full to capacity while ticket seekers in the PIA’s Rawalpindi and Islamabad offices were turned away on one pretext or the other.
They called upon their public representatives to take up the issue with the government to ensure uninterrupted flights to the district till the under-construction Lowari tunnel becomes operational.
Upper Chitral residents to pay bills locally
PESHAWAR: On the directives of NWFP Minister for Population Weflare Saleem Khan, the consumers of Upper Chitral will have the facility of paying electricity bills at local branch of post offices. Earlier, the residents of the far-flung areas of Upper Chitral had to travel long enough to the specific branches of scheduled banks to pay the electricity bills. To pay a bill of almost Rs 50 or Rs100, the people of the far-flung areas had to spend three to four hundred rupees every month in respect of travel charges which caused great trouble for the poor masses of the area besides the wastage of time.
The people of the area have expressed pleasure and thanked the provincial minister for taking keen interest in solving their problems. On this occasion, the provincial minister in a statement issued from Peshawar said solving the basic problems of the people of Chitral was the top-most priority of the present government for which he would strive at every level. The minister appreciated the efforts of Post Master General and Managing Director SHYDO in resolving the issues of the consumers of Upper Chitral.--PPI
The people of the area have expressed pleasure and thanked the provincial minister for taking keen interest in solving their problems. On this occasion, the provincial minister in a statement issued from Peshawar said solving the basic problems of the people of Chitral was the top-most priority of the present government for which he would strive at every level. The minister appreciated the efforts of Post Master General and Managing Director SHYDO in resolving the issues of the consumers of Upper Chitral.--PPI
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Chitral colleges lack hostel facilities
By Zahiruddin
CHITRAL: Lack of hostel facilities in the public sector colleges has forced a good number of students to discontinue their studies, the parents complained.
Talking to this correspondent on Tuesday, they said for the population of about 500,000, there were only four colleges in the district. One of which is situated at Booni (upper Chitral) and the rest is located in the district headquarters.
The parents regretted that the government degree college Booni faced the acute shortage of teaching staff as a result of which the students thronged to the colleges in the Chitral city. The total capacity of the five hostels of the three colleges in the city is said to be about 400 while the strength of the students enrolled in the colleges is about 2,400.
The government started second shifts in two of the colleges last year to ensure the admission of more students but these students could not avail of the hostel facility, they said.
Because of absence of the hostel facility, the students from the distant villages of Chitral preferred to not take admission in the colleges.
As for the female colleges, the situation is more dismal as there is only one public sector college in the district and the total capacity of its hostel is about 50 which is too short to cater to the needs of the whole district.
Many parents from the upper Chitral said that due to the unavailability of hostel facility, they were forced to get the admission of their daughters cancelled and take them back to their villages.
The parents said that although colleges in the private sector offered hostel facilities but a very few parents could afford to bear the high expenses.
According to them, the private colleges’ hostels are overburdened and the boarders are forced to live in congested atmosphere. A boarder of a college hostel said the capacity of his room is four but six students live there as the college administration has to oblige more number of students to save their futures.
Meanwhile, sources in the higher education department said that for the last fifteen years, not a single hostel had been added to the colleges while the number of students had increased manifold.
CHITRAL: Lack of hostel facilities in the public sector colleges has forced a good number of students to discontinue their studies, the parents complained.
Talking to this correspondent on Tuesday, they said for the population of about 500,000, there were only four colleges in the district. One of which is situated at Booni (upper Chitral) and the rest is located in the district headquarters.
The parents regretted that the government degree college Booni faced the acute shortage of teaching staff as a result of which the students thronged to the colleges in the Chitral city. The total capacity of the five hostels of the three colleges in the city is said to be about 400 while the strength of the students enrolled in the colleges is about 2,400.
The government started second shifts in two of the colleges last year to ensure the admission of more students but these students could not avail of the hostel facility, they said.
Because of absence of the hostel facility, the students from the distant villages of Chitral preferred to not take admission in the colleges.
As for the female colleges, the situation is more dismal as there is only one public sector college in the district and the total capacity of its hostel is about 50 which is too short to cater to the needs of the whole district.
Many parents from the upper Chitral said that due to the unavailability of hostel facility, they were forced to get the admission of their daughters cancelled and take them back to their villages.
The parents said that although colleges in the private sector offered hostel facilities but a very few parents could afford to bear the high expenses.
According to them, the private colleges’ hostels are overburdened and the boarders are forced to live in congested atmosphere. A boarder of a college hostel said the capacity of his room is four but six students live there as the college administration has to oblige more number of students to save their futures.
Meanwhile, sources in the higher education department said that for the last fifteen years, not a single hostel had been added to the colleges while the number of students had increased manifold.
Over 75,000 children to be administered polio drops
In a meeting held here on Tuesday with Chitral DCO Mutasim Billah Shah in the chair, recommended steps to make the upcoming polio campaign successful by administering vaccine to 75,682 children in the district.
The health department officials told the meeting that 231 mobile teams had been constituted to cover the whole district while transit centers would be established at the city airport and two border areas of Ashrait and Shandur. The campaign will commence from October 13 and continue for three days.
The Chitral DCO emphasised the need of reaching maximum number of people to make them realise the importance of the national immunisation days to ensure their active participation. He assured all-out support from the district government to make the campaign a success.
The health department officials told the meeting that 231 mobile teams had been constituted to cover the whole district while transit centers would be established at the city airport and two border areas of Ashrait and Shandur. The campaign will commence from October 13 and continue for three days.
The Chitral DCO emphasised the need of reaching maximum number of people to make them realise the importance of the national immunisation days to ensure their active participation. He assured all-out support from the district government to make the campaign a success.
Trade corridor: paradigm shift we’ve been waiting for?
An official of the World Bank in Islamabad says the Bank is ready to lend Pakistan $2.25 billion for a trade and energy corridor focusing mostly on Gwadar Port and its land link with China: “the trade and energy corridor that would serve as a gateway for commerce and transport between South Asia, Central Asia, China and the Gulf countries”. In this proposed scheme of things, Pakistan will set up a big oil terminal and refineries at Gwadar with Chinese help because most of the oil will be transported to China from there.
But the World Bank official has made other observations too: “Any land-based trade between the Gulf region and the South Asian states can best take place through Pakistan. The country would work as a link between the Gulf region, Iran, Afghanistan, China and Central Asia and that would make regional states natural trading partners. Pakistan is the ideal approach for the shipment of Indian goods to Afghanistan and the Central Asian markets”. Hopefully we can add the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) pipeline to the above project(s) after the complex tripartite negotiations on it are successfully concluded.
But a much more important thing happened during President Asif Ali Zardari’s meeting with the Indian prime minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, in New York. The report says: “The two met on sidelines of the 63rd United Nations General Assembly session and announced a mutual agreement on a number of vital business-related issues. On top of everything else came Pakistan’s agreement to allow Indians an overland access to Afghanistan.”
The trade corridor was first spoken of by General Musharraf in one of his enlightened moments. He was thinking in paradigmatic terms, about converting Pakistan into a trading hub for the regions lying around it. Since he had begun to build the Gwadar Port — not first conceived by him, let us admit — the network of roads and railway tracks branching from the port seemed to leave India out. But later he began to speak in more general terms and was once privately in favour of conceding the Indian request that a corridor be given it for trading with Central Asia.
But the idea of the Indian corridor got stuck because Gen Musharraf deferred to the “defence” angle and abstained from delinking it from Kashmir, despite having established the precedent of delinking the IPI from Kashmir. As a general, he probably realised that he might be standing on the edge of an identity-change of the state of Pakistan. But equally as a general, perhaps he realised the limits of how far he could go in changing the country from a warrior state to a trading nation.
There are two ways of looking at “geopolitical importance”, or two ways of deriving benefit from it. One is the “civilian” approach which means the geographically important state has to develop its roadways and railways, and other infrastructure such as hotels, to facilitate those who wish to pass through. Once the geographically “connective” state has become an effective corridor of passage, its “strategic” importance no doubt increases. And the dividend of this importance comes in economic terms and through an absence of war.
The other way is the “military” approach which relies on geography as “hindrance” rather than “connection”. The military mind says: we are in the middle and we will not let you pass unless you agree to our terms. (To India, we say let’s resolve Kashmir before we talk free trade.) In Pakistan’s case, this approach is often cited also as a raison d’etre for being a military dominated national security state. This is a warrior’s approach and signalises his preference for selective militarism as opposed to generalised economic betterment. In the case of Pakistan, it is the military view of geopolitical importance that has held sway.
Pakistan as a nuclear power is eminently suited to becoming a trade corridor with capacity to lay down the terms compatible with its economic interest. The Central Asian market may be small at this moment and it may be tough for India to compete with China there, but in the coming years the region of SAARC will take what is its due in Central Asia on the basis of shared history and civilisation. Afghanistan has already decided where it wants to stand by joining SAARC. The free trade project of the SAARC “common market” will finally integrate it to South Asia. The Central Asians will follow.
The smuggling that takes place between Pakistan and Afghanistan now supplies markets in Central Asia. The flour Pakistan loses to the region northwest of it will no longer be smuggled because the support price of wheat is now linked to the international price. The next stage is Pakistan organising the Central Asian food supply on the strength of its trade corridor and making the middleman’s money out of it.--Daily Times
But the World Bank official has made other observations too: “Any land-based trade between the Gulf region and the South Asian states can best take place through Pakistan. The country would work as a link between the Gulf region, Iran, Afghanistan, China and Central Asia and that would make regional states natural trading partners. Pakistan is the ideal approach for the shipment of Indian goods to Afghanistan and the Central Asian markets”. Hopefully we can add the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) pipeline to the above project(s) after the complex tripartite negotiations on it are successfully concluded.
But a much more important thing happened during President Asif Ali Zardari’s meeting with the Indian prime minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, in New York. The report says: “The two met on sidelines of the 63rd United Nations General Assembly session and announced a mutual agreement on a number of vital business-related issues. On top of everything else came Pakistan’s agreement to allow Indians an overland access to Afghanistan.”
The trade corridor was first spoken of by General Musharraf in one of his enlightened moments. He was thinking in paradigmatic terms, about converting Pakistan into a trading hub for the regions lying around it. Since he had begun to build the Gwadar Port — not first conceived by him, let us admit — the network of roads and railway tracks branching from the port seemed to leave India out. But later he began to speak in more general terms and was once privately in favour of conceding the Indian request that a corridor be given it for trading with Central Asia.
But the idea of the Indian corridor got stuck because Gen Musharraf deferred to the “defence” angle and abstained from delinking it from Kashmir, despite having established the precedent of delinking the IPI from Kashmir. As a general, he probably realised that he might be standing on the edge of an identity-change of the state of Pakistan. But equally as a general, perhaps he realised the limits of how far he could go in changing the country from a warrior state to a trading nation.
There are two ways of looking at “geopolitical importance”, or two ways of deriving benefit from it. One is the “civilian” approach which means the geographically important state has to develop its roadways and railways, and other infrastructure such as hotels, to facilitate those who wish to pass through. Once the geographically “connective” state has become an effective corridor of passage, its “strategic” importance no doubt increases. And the dividend of this importance comes in economic terms and through an absence of war.
The other way is the “military” approach which relies on geography as “hindrance” rather than “connection”. The military mind says: we are in the middle and we will not let you pass unless you agree to our terms. (To India, we say let’s resolve Kashmir before we talk free trade.) In Pakistan’s case, this approach is often cited also as a raison d’etre for being a military dominated national security state. This is a warrior’s approach and signalises his preference for selective militarism as opposed to generalised economic betterment. In the case of Pakistan, it is the military view of geopolitical importance that has held sway.
Pakistan as a nuclear power is eminently suited to becoming a trade corridor with capacity to lay down the terms compatible with its economic interest. The Central Asian market may be small at this moment and it may be tough for India to compete with China there, but in the coming years the region of SAARC will take what is its due in Central Asia on the basis of shared history and civilisation. Afghanistan has already decided where it wants to stand by joining SAARC. The free trade project of the SAARC “common market” will finally integrate it to South Asia. The Central Asians will follow.
The smuggling that takes place between Pakistan and Afghanistan now supplies markets in Central Asia. The flour Pakistan loses to the region northwest of it will no longer be smuggled because the support price of wheat is now linked to the international price. The next stage is Pakistan organising the Central Asian food supply on the strength of its trade corridor and making the middleman’s money out of it.--Daily Times
Monday, October 6, 2008
Lowari tunnel will be opened this winter
By Zahiruddin
CHITRAL: The first phase of the Lowari tunnel project will be completed in the first week of December, which is likely to be opened for traffic after closure of the Lowari Pass in winter.
Talking to journalists at an Eid Milan party here on Monday, District Nazim Maghfirat Shah said completion of the project’s phase-I would be an historical day for Chitral, which would be celebrated as ‘thanksgiving day’.
He said the day would be declared a public holiday in the district and programmes would be arranged in Drosh, Chitral city and Booni. He said preparations had been started by the district government to celebrate the day in a befitting manner.
The nazim said the second phase of the project would commence soon. He said that in the previous years, the people of Chitral used to travel through the Kunar province of Afghanistan and the Mohmand Agency in winter due to closure of the Lowari Pass, but it would not be possible now due to the volatile situation both in Afghanistan and the tribal areas of Pakistan.
He said the National Highway Authority high-ups had agreed to facilitate passengers through the under-construction tunnel after completion of its first phase. He said NHA buses would offer shuttle service to transport passengers through the tunnel, which would be available twice a day.
CHITRAL: The first phase of the Lowari tunnel project will be completed in the first week of December, which is likely to be opened for traffic after closure of the Lowari Pass in winter.
Talking to journalists at an Eid Milan party here on Monday, District Nazim Maghfirat Shah said completion of the project’s phase-I would be an historical day for Chitral, which would be celebrated as ‘thanksgiving day’.
He said the day would be declared a public holiday in the district and programmes would be arranged in Drosh, Chitral city and Booni. He said preparations had been started by the district government to celebrate the day in a befitting manner.
The nazim said the second phase of the project would commence soon. He said that in the previous years, the people of Chitral used to travel through the Kunar province of Afghanistan and the Mohmand Agency in winter due to closure of the Lowari Pass, but it would not be possible now due to the volatile situation both in Afghanistan and the tribal areas of Pakistan.
He said the National Highway Authority high-ups had agreed to facilitate passengers through the under-construction tunnel after completion of its first phase. He said NHA buses would offer shuttle service to transport passengers through the tunnel, which would be available twice a day.
Woman commits suicide in awi
CHITRAL: A newly-married woman, Ms Jamal, committed suicide by jumping
into the Chitral River in the Awi village of the Mastuj
tehsil, police sources said.
The reason behind the suicide could not be ascertained. The
woman’s husband is said to be in Karachi in connection
with his job. The body was retrieved from the river and
later buried.
into the Chitral River in the Awi village of the Mastuj
tehsil, police sources said.
The reason behind the suicide could not be ascertained. The
woman’s husband is said to be in Karachi in connection
with his job. The body was retrieved from the river and
later buried.
Islamabad-Chitral flights still being mismanaged
CHITRAL: Islamabad-Chitral flight though still operating is being handled in a very callous manner by the PIA staff at Rawalpindi/Islamabad ticketing offices.
One of the recent passengers on this flight said he went to the Rawalpindi ticketing office Northern areas counter at 1600 hrs to get a ticket to Chitral for the next day. The staff there said the office working has closed at 1500 hrs and he should buy the ticket at the airport in the morning or contact the domestic counter in the main hall. When the passenger showed him the timings written on the door ie from 0900to 1700 hrs the staff did not not have any explanation.
At the domestic counter the lady at the desk promptly responded by saying no confirmed ticket could be given for Chitral flight (despite the fact that the flight was empty) and when the passenger asked for an open ticket the lady asked his supervisor who after examining the passenger from head to toe told the lady "isko dey doe" (give it to him).
When the passenger told the supervisor why were they being unfaithful to the PIA by trying to inflict losses on it and frustrating the passengers, the supervisor started beating about the bush trying to blame the weather etc and said if in future he needed ticket he should come to him directly, etc.
It may be mentioned here that the Islamabad-Chitral flight has not been advertised at all on any Tv channel or news paper, and the fare has been kept at Rs 3600/- against Rs 2900/- of Gilgit despite the fact that Gilgit is at a longer distance which means more flying time than Chitral, and both areas are tax free. It is time our public representatives wake up and fulfill their responsibilities. They should promptly raise this issue in both the National and Provincial Assembliy, before the PIA closes down this flight again.--Courtesy Chitral News
One of the recent passengers on this flight said he went to the Rawalpindi ticketing office Northern areas counter at 1600 hrs to get a ticket to Chitral for the next day. The staff there said the office working has closed at 1500 hrs and he should buy the ticket at the airport in the morning or contact the domestic counter in the main hall. When the passenger showed him the timings written on the door ie from 0900to 1700 hrs the staff did not not have any explanation.
At the domestic counter the lady at the desk promptly responded by saying no confirmed ticket could be given for Chitral flight (despite the fact that the flight was empty) and when the passenger asked for an open ticket the lady asked his supervisor who after examining the passenger from head to toe told the lady "isko dey doe" (give it to him).
When the passenger told the supervisor why were they being unfaithful to the PIA by trying to inflict losses on it and frustrating the passengers, the supervisor started beating about the bush trying to blame the weather etc and said if in future he needed ticket he should come to him directly, etc.
It may be mentioned here that the Islamabad-Chitral flight has not been advertised at all on any Tv channel or news paper, and the fare has been kept at Rs 3600/- against Rs 2900/- of Gilgit despite the fact that Gilgit is at a longer distance which means more flying time than Chitral, and both areas are tax free. It is time our public representatives wake up and fulfill their responsibilities. They should promptly raise this issue in both the National and Provincial Assembliy, before the PIA closes down this flight again.--Courtesy Chitral News
Saturday, October 4, 2008
JI leader sees conspiracy to establish Ismaili state
Jamaat-i-Islami NWFP chief Sirajul Haq has said international conspiracies are being hatched to establish an ‘Ismaili state’ in the northern parts of Pakistan.
Speaking at an Eid Milan party at a Timergarah village, he said the Ismaili state was to comprise Gilgit, Chitral, Bajaur and Dir. He, however, said his party was there to foil the designs of the international conspirators.
Siraj said due increasing lawlessness and militancy, even members of parliament and rulers were not ready to live among their voters and fleeing from their respective constituencies.
Speaking at an Eid Milan party at a Timergarah village, he said the Ismaili state was to comprise Gilgit, Chitral, Bajaur and Dir. He, however, said his party was there to foil the designs of the international conspirators.
Siraj said due increasing lawlessness and militancy, even members of parliament and rulers were not ready to live among their voters and fleeing from their respective constituencies.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Most Chitralis unable to go home on Eid due to high fares
Bureau report
PESHAWAR: Many Chitralis would not be able to celebrate Eidul Fitr with their near and dear ones ostensibly due to manifold increase in fares.
“We have been celebrating Eid with our families over the years, but we cannot meet our near and dear ones this time owing to tremendous increase in fares,” said two government officials.
They said skyrocketing prices of essentials and almost 200 per cent increase in school fees had made life very tough for them, forcing them to abandon their plan to celebrate the festival with their relatives.
Like government officials and employees, many students also could not go to their native towns. The PIA charges per passenger over Rs2,800 while it costs almost Rs600 if one opts to travel by road (one way). “We will be celebrating the Eid in the hostel as we can’t go to our native town,” a group of Chitrali students said.
They said that there was no check on transporters who resorted to increase in fares on one pretext or the other. They, however, demanded of the PPP government to launch Northern Areas Transport Corporation (Natco) service to Chitral. They said the service had already been started from Gilgit to Mastuj, which could also be extended to Peshawar. They said that Natco service from Peshawar to Chitral would not only solve the transport problem of the area but would also be beneficial for the company.
A transport company owner, who runs flying coaches to Chitral, admitted that there was no rush this Eid. He, however, said they would not increase fares arbitrarily. “We are running the service for Chitral with great difficulties. The prices of oil have been increased plus we have to grease the palms of some important people to run the service,” he added.
When contacted to ask about resumption of Natco service from Peshawar to Chitral, MNA Shahzada Mohiuddin said he would raise the issue with the prime minister and the president. “I hope the PPP-led government will accept this genuine demand and I will also take up the matter with the Natco officials,” he added.
The legislator from Chitral said both the president and prime ministers had assured him to redress the grievances of the people of Chitral on a priority basis.--Courtesy The News
PESHAWAR: Many Chitralis would not be able to celebrate Eidul Fitr with their near and dear ones ostensibly due to manifold increase in fares.
“We have been celebrating Eid with our families over the years, but we cannot meet our near and dear ones this time owing to tremendous increase in fares,” said two government officials.
They said skyrocketing prices of essentials and almost 200 per cent increase in school fees had made life very tough for them, forcing them to abandon their plan to celebrate the festival with their relatives.
Like government officials and employees, many students also could not go to their native towns. The PIA charges per passenger over Rs2,800 while it costs almost Rs600 if one opts to travel by road (one way). “We will be celebrating the Eid in the hostel as we can’t go to our native town,” a group of Chitrali students said.
They said that there was no check on transporters who resorted to increase in fares on one pretext or the other. They, however, demanded of the PPP government to launch Northern Areas Transport Corporation (Natco) service to Chitral. They said the service had already been started from Gilgit to Mastuj, which could also be extended to Peshawar. They said that Natco service from Peshawar to Chitral would not only solve the transport problem of the area but would also be beneficial for the company.
A transport company owner, who runs flying coaches to Chitral, admitted that there was no rush this Eid. He, however, said they would not increase fares arbitrarily. “We are running the service for Chitral with great difficulties. The prices of oil have been increased plus we have to grease the palms of some important people to run the service,” he added.
When contacted to ask about resumption of Natco service from Peshawar to Chitral, MNA Shahzada Mohiuddin said he would raise the issue with the prime minister and the president. “I hope the PPP-led government will accept this genuine demand and I will also take up the matter with the Natco officials,” he added.
The legislator from Chitral said both the president and prime ministers had assured him to redress the grievances of the people of Chitral on a priority basis.--Courtesy The News
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Awesome and rugged
Beauty of Chitral
Kishmanja, a beautiful village in Yarkhun valley
Lush green
DIZG: threatened by floods
The legendary village of Ayun in Chitral
On way to Bumburet
Dizg, Yarkhun
About Me
- Zar Alam Khan Razakhel
- Village Dizg, Yarkhun valley, Chitral, Pakistan
- I blog at http://chitraltoday.net (ChitralToday) about Chitral, its people, culture, traditions and issues. I have been writing about Chitral since 2000. Chitral is a scenic valley in the extreme north-west of Pakistan.