Chitral: DCO fines profiteers

Report Bashir Hussain Azad, Chitral

DCO Chitral Mustasim Billah paid a surprise visit to Chitral Bazaar and inspected restaurants, poultry market, butcher shops, storehouses of various shops. He expressed dissatisfaction over the poor condition of cleanliness in restaurants, butcher shops and annoyed on the high prices of sugar, rice and chicken.

The DCO fined eight traders on the spot including owners of restaurants, butchers and shopkeepers under section 3/6 for high prices of daily commodities of life, poor cleanliness of restaurants and butcher shops.

The DCO and his team told this correspondent that there is no shortage of essential items in the local market except LPG and milk, and some traders are creating artificial shortage of various items for their vested interests which will be checked properly. To meet the shortage of milk, the DCO immediately permitted the local traders to carry milk laden truck from Peshawar via Kunar Afghanistan road which has reached Jalalabad, reliable sources told this correspondent. To overcome the deficiency of LPG, the DCO assured the people that proper steps will be taken for the provision of LPG very soon. Responding to a question about the power outage in the town area, he said that a high level meeting has been convened today.

People appreciated the sudden inspection of Chitral bazaar by the DCO and hoped that he will continue his visits of Bazaar to check the rising prices and hoarding.

Chitral-Shikashim Highway - Letter

Sir,

It is with reference to media reports on ‘Chitral-Shikashim Highway’ which reminds me of another report in a Peshawar-based daily in December, 2004. Responding to the said report this scribe had given brief account of merits and demerits of the historical ancient route of the people of North and North East Asia, the Boroghil Pass via the main Chitral valley as part of the ancient Silk Road and Garumchashma route leading to northern part of Afghanistan. I had requested the Highway authorities to carry out a survey of both the sites during Feb-April when all the valleys were clad in snow and obstructed by snow avalanches blocking even pedestrians. During the winter months one can easily find out the dangerous and obstructive areas and the site feasible for construction of a high way which will be serviceable round the year.

Again, the same newspaper published a news item on Dec:19, 2004 in which it was reported that the then Minister for Water and Power Mr. Liaqat Ali Jatoi had directed NESPAK to finalize feasibility report for establishing road link between Pakistan and Tajekistan at the earliest and submit to the authorities for approval. The report further gave some detail of the proposed site starting from Gilgit, crossing Shandur and Mastuj valley it was to cross Broghil Pass via Yarkhun valley. Had the survey been carried out by the company as referred to by Mr. Inayatullah Aseer been feasible, NESPAK would not have been directed for feasibility report of another site as mentioned above.

My humble request to each and every Chitrali brother with knowledge of the ancient history and geographical conditions of the regions north and south of the Hindukush ranges is that the issue of Chitral-Tajekistan Road may not be politicized. We should not advocate for a certain and certain site, rather we should provide guidance to the concerned authorities on the basis of historical proofs.

Exact and accurate information provided to the concerned authorities shall enable them to select the most suitable site for this important high way to be proved more beneficial not only for Chitral and our country but for all the stake holders as well.

We give priority to Chitral-Broghil site for the anticipated highway on the following grounds:

1- That road will cross all through Pakistani territory (except a few kilometers

of Wakhan strip), ensuring complete safety and security of commuters.

2- There is cost benefit because a 25 feet kacha road has already been constructed up to Wedinkot, Broghil.

3- The project will be completed within very short period expending approximately 50% less of the estimated cost of the project, because no solid rocks and mountains come in the way and construction of no extra bridges over the rivers or streams involve.

4- It will easily link with the Qaraqurum High way through Shandur Pass at Mastuj and Darkot Pass at Boroghel providing alternate passage in case of blockage of any one of these roads.

5- It will prove all-weather road as there is no apprehension of blockade during winters due to snow avalanches and sliding.

6- Last but not least, the historical records must be kept in view and the fact should be accepted that ‘history repeats it self’ and if we go against it, we shall be doing a big blunder and that our future generation will not forgive us. Leaving aside all other references I am quoting, I.D. Scot, ICS, Late APO, Chitral in the NOTES ON CHITRAL, published by Government of India Press, Simla, 1937, at page, 2, “The more usual route, however, is over the Boroghil Pass, across Wakhan, and so to the Yarkand valley. Until recently these routes, especially the Boroghil were extensively used by caravans of Turkistan traders on their way to India. For various reasons this trade has at present practically ceased. These have been trade routes from time immemorial and were much used by Chinese pilgrims in the early centuries AD on their way to the Buddhist shrines of India”.

In the following paragraph, he mentions the passes leading to north east of Afghanistan and refers to Durah Pass as, “ The most important pass leading out of Chitral on the north west is the Durah, an easy pass of 14,000 feet leading to Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of the Afghan province of Badakhshan, to Khanabad, and on to Balkh and Afghan Turkistan. There used to be a very considerable trade over the Durah Pass chiefly in salt, tea, sugar and wool, from which Chitral extracted profit from toll; at present, however, an average of only about 40 traders cross every week during the summer months”

The above description of both the passes is self explanatory to determine the most feasible site for the anticipated Chitral-Tajekistan High Way.

Sher Wali Khan Aseer,

Abbottabad

Nawa Pass route to be opened soon: NA told

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Malik Amad Khan on Friday told the National Assembly that Chitral-Nawapass (Afghanistan) route would be opened in a couple of days.

He was responding to a Calling Attention Notice of Shahzada Mohiuddin, Dr Abdul Kadir Khanzada and Mohammad Nawaz Allai about closure of passage of Chitral resulting in difficulties to thousands of stranded passengers in Peshawar and Chitral causing grave concern amongst the public.

The minister said after the closure of Lowari Pass in winter season a permission is sought from the government of Afghanistan for use of Arandu-Nawa pass route. He said this year the issue was also raised with Afghanistan but due to security situation on the border the route was not safe for journey and therefore permission was not granted.

He said now the Afghan government has given the permission of using Chitral-Nawa pass route, therefore, the route would be opened for traffic within a couple of days.

Minister for Communication Arbab Alamgir Khan told the National Assembly that tunneling of Lowari Tunnel has been through but for the time being people cannot use the tunnel as heavy machinery is still moving there. However, the issue would be raised with the concerned construction firm to make it possible for journey.

He said Lowari tunnel is a project of national importance which was started by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. He said the completion date of the project is September 2010.

Shahzada Mohiuddin asked the chair to take up the issue with Afghanistan Foreign Minister in his upcoming visit to Pakistan that the people of Chitral be allowed to bring essential commodities with them from Afghanistan as they are facing server shortage of essential commodities there.--APP

Revival of Nazis

This is a rejoinder to President Obama’s interview to Al Jazeera TV channel on Monday 26th January, in which he said that America is not enemy of the Muslim world. Nobody could agree with Obama’s views. America has proved on all occasions over the past 50 years that this country is an enemy of Muslims just like the Nazis had enmity against the Jews. The role of Obama is not different from the role of Adolf Hitler. The rule of Democratic Party in USA will rightly be taken by Muslims like revival of Nazism in 21st Century.

Dr. Inayatullah Faizi

Chitral.

Call to declare emergency in Chitral

CHITRAL: District president of the PPP and former MPA from Chitral Zainul Abedin has demanded of the government to declare emergency in Chitral as the population of about 500,000 was besieged due to the closure of the Lowari Pass and cancellation of PIA flights, causing shortage of daily-use items.

He said life-saving drugs in hospitals were in shortage and urged the government to provide the medicines to all the healthcare centres immediately.

The PPP leader regretted that no remedial measures had been taken by the government despite the fact that he had already approached the president and prime minister and other ministers concerned and apprised them of the hardships of the people.

He said the immediate solution to the problems of the people of Chitral was the opening of the recently-constructed Lowari Tunnel even for a short duration on a daily basis without disturbing the pace of work.—Zahiruddin

NHA, Sambu to discuss Lowari Tunnel opening

PESHAWAR: The National Highway Authority and Korean construction company Sambo will discuss technical aspects about opening of the newly constructed Lowari tunnel for light traffic on Jan 28.

Following a request from NWFP Miniser for Population Welfare Saleem Khan, the Federal Minister for Communication Arbab Alamgir Khan has convened a high-level meeting of the technical experts of NHA and the Korean company to deliberate on the issue, says a handout issued here on Monday.

The meeting besides others will also be attended by federal minister Najmuddin Khan and NWFP minister Saleem Khan.

The provincial minister had recently apprised Mr Alamgir of the difficulties faced by the Chitrali people due to the closure of Lowari top and requested him to open the tunnel for light traffic according to weekly schedule so as to mitigate the miseries of Chitralis.

The federal minister assured him that after consultation with the concerned technical experts, he would take every possible step to that effect.

MNA seeks opening of Afghan route for Chitral

DAWN-----

By Zar Alam Khan

ISLAMABAD: Member National Assembly from Chitral Shahzada Mohiuddin has asked the government to immediately hold talks with the authorities in Kabul to open Afghanistan via the Khyber Pass as an alternative route to his district which remains cut-off from rest of the country after the closure of the Lowari Pass.
Thousands of people have been stranded in both Chitral and Peshawar after the PIA also cancelled its flights to the district due to inclement weather. Besides, supply of essential commodities including petroleum products, LPG cylinders, food items and life-saving drugs has been stopped for the last one-and-a-half months due to which the people are facing a crisis-like situation, he said while talking to Dawn.
For the last over 15 years, the people of the valley had been using the Kunar-Nawa pass route via Afghanistan during the closure of the Lowari Pass, the only land route connecting the valley with other parts of the country. However, due to the military operation in Mohmand Agency, this route has also been shut on the Chitralis.
The MNA criticised the Foreign Office for its failure to take the issue seriously and hold talks with Kabul to open the alternative route. He said people going from Peshawar to Chitral were allowed to use the route without hindrance by Afghan authorities but the security personnel in Chitral were not allowing those coming from Chitral to enter Afghanistan saying they had not received any directives to open the route.
He said despite repeated appeals, the government had failed to comprehend the gravity of the situation and take measures to resolve the problem. He warned that if the authorities did not act timely, his constituency would face a humanitarian crisis.

Brep BHU worker deprived of GP fund

Report GH Farooqui, Chitral

A junior technician working at the Basic Health Unit (BHU) of Brep (Yarkhun valley) has alleged that two officials working at the EDO health office - Riaz and Jamaluddin - have drawn a large amount from his General Provident Fund (GP Fund) account faking his signature.
In his written statement, Ali Aman disclosed that he had submitted an application for drawing of the GP Fund in advance on December 29, 2008 but to his utter surprise he was told that Rs103,000 had already been drawn from his account in the year 2006. He said another embezzlement case had been unearthed in the health department in which some staff were convicted. He also submitted an application to the Anti-Corruption Department in the present case for taking action against the accsued. He appealled to the high-ups of the health department to conduct an inquiry and take action against the accused staff for recovery of his amount.
Meanwhile, this correspondent visited the EDO health office to seek the version of the accused persons. They said Ali Aman, junior technician, had submitted an application for GP Fund advance on 8.7.2006 which was forwarded to DCO Chitral for approval and who approved his application. They said Ali Aman had drawn Rs100,000 as GP Fund in advance in December, 2008 and Rs65,000 in October, 2002. After proper approval of his GP Fund advance request he was paid the required amount after deducting Rs23,000 as his previous arrears. They said that an departmental inquiry was also conducted by Dr Rahmat Aman, Deputy DHO, who also submitted his report saying Ali Aman had drawn his GP Fund in advance. His specimen signatures have also been forwarded to the laboratory concerend for verification, they added.

District bar Chitral to get 0.5 million grant

CHITRAL: A delegation of District Bar Association Chitral led by Khurshid Hussain Mughul, president of Chitral Bar Association, met Federal Minister for Law Farooq H. Nike at his chamber in Islamabad. The delegation discussed different matters and apprised the minsiter of their problems.
The delegation also demanded establishment of a bar room at Chitral. They also requested the minister for construction of a library and provision of other facilities to lawyers of Chitral. The president of the Bar also requested the minister for posting of female judges at family courts in Chitral and construction of waiting room for women clients.
The federal minister assured the delegation of resolution of the problems. He also announced a Rs500,000 grant for the District Bar Association Chitral. --GH Farooqui

Lowari tunnel festivities snowballed

By Our Correspondent

CHITRAL: The programmes of festivities scheduled to celebrate completion of the first phase of Lowari rail tunnel were to be cancelled due to snowfall here on Wednesday.

Public holiday had been announced by the district government to ensure maximum number of people in the programmes which included performing special prayers in congregations, visit to the tunnel and public rallies.

District Nazim Maghfirat Shah said the festivities would be held later. He said completion of the first phase was a landmark in the history of Chitral providing inhabitants ‘all-weather’ route who were hitherto virtual prisoners within the boundaries of the lofty mountains of Hindukush range.

Meanwhile, Chitral valley continued to receive intermittent snowfall for the last two days and the higher altitudes had reportedly received more than three feet snow. Vehicular traffic had been suspended to many valleys including Terich, Golan, Oveer, Yarkhoon and Karimabad.--Dawn

Completion of tunnel digging brings joy to Chitral

Dawn
By Zar Alam Khan

ISLAMABAD, Jan 13: Eager to put behind the memories of tortuous days spent fighting the vagaries of nature completely cut-off from the outside world for almost five months each year, the long-awaited moment draws nearer for the people of Chitral to celebrate the opening of an all-weather land route to their scenic valley through the Lowari Tunnel.
As the first phase of the project completes on Wednesday with the meeting of tunnel being simultaneously dug in Chitral on the northern side and Dir district in the south, the 14,850 square kilometre valley of about 500,000 people nestling around the mighty Hindukush mountains integrates into the country for the first time in real geographical terms.
People in all parts of the district and Chitralis living in other parts of the country as well as abroad are celebrating the event as a thanksgiving day.
The district government has announced a public holiday on the occasion. Variety of programmes, including cultural shows, will be held in different parts of the valley as well as in major cities where Chitralis live in large numbers.
The Rs8 billion rail tunnel will, however, be opened for regular traffic at the end of 2010. Work on the project started in October 2005 from the southern side, while former president Pervez Musharraf inaugurated the project in Chitral in July 2006.
The idea to build the tunnel dated back to the early 1890s when the British wanted to have an all-weather access road to the then princely state after having a foothold in the area as part of their ‘Great Game’ in the region. However, the proposal was quickly dropped after the imperialist power feared that the tunnel could pave the way for the Red Army to infiltrate into the Indian subcontinent.
After independence, the government of Pakistan prepared the first feasibility report on the project in 1955; however, no progress was made afterwards due to shortage of funds and lack of technical expertise.
After coming to power, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto sanctioned the project and construction work started in 1975. By 1977, the Frontier Works Organisation in collaboration with the Lowari Tunnel Organisation had completed digging of up to 500 metres from Dir side.
However, with the then coalition government of Maulana Mufti Mehmud and Abdul Wali Khan in the NWFP at loggerheads with Mr Bhutto, the project fell prey to their political discord as the former opposed the project terming it wastage of money.
Soon, work on the site was abandoned after spending millions of rupees. With the passage of time the cost of the project continued to escalate.
In 1994, the National Assembly was informed that the estimated cost of the project had touched Rs3 billion mark from the only Rs500 million in 1975.
However, the people of the valley continued to raise the issue at every forum and demanded the successive governments to construct the tunnel to end their communication-related problems.
During the Shandur Festival in 2001, former president Pervez Musharraf promised that the project would be undertaken to provide an all-weather route to the district besides linking the country with the Central Asian states.
On June 10, 2003, at the inaugural ceremony of Kohat Tunnel, then NWFP governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah urged Gen Musharraf to fulfil the longstanding demand of the people of Chitral by sanctioning the construction of the Lowari Tunnel.
Gen Musharraf asked the NHA to take up the project on a priority basis, adding the expertise used in Kohat should be utilised for the construction of the Lowari Tunnel.
The NHA awarded the contracts of the Rs7.9 billion project to Korea’s Sambu company and two Pakistani firms. The project was scheduled to be completed in two phases in four years.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved the project on July 27, 2004. The consultancy and PC-I were prepared by a Swedish-Austrian company – Geo Consult-Typsa – while supervision of the construction work was assigned to Dr Johann Golsar of the famous NATM system of tunnelling.
Contract agreements for construction of northern and southern access roads were signed on May 12, 2004. The 9-km-long northern access road from Drosh in Chitral to the tunnel’s portal cost Rs200 million while the 9.3-km-long southern access road from upper Dir was to be completed at a cost of over Rs193 million.
According to the design, the tunnel linking Mirkhani in Chitral and Gujar post in upper Dir is 7.23 metres wide and 7.06 metres high. There will be a 0.9 metre walkway on either side. The elevation of the southern portal will be 7,920 feet while that in the northern side will be 7,741 feet.
In the second phase, railway tracks will be laid in the tunnel and two trains, especially designed by a Swedish company, will ferry passengers and vehicles, crossing the tunnel in about 11 minutes.
At present, loaded trucks manoeuvre the 62 sharp and hairpin bends on the pass in about three hours. The pass remains closed from December to April every year due to heavy snow, during which communication to and from the district becomes restricted to the PIA air service, that too depending on weather conditions.
For the last 10 years, the residents had been using a dilapidated road through the Kunar province of Afghanistan during the closure of the pass. But that route also remains closed now due to military operations in the tribal areas.