Eye disease cases on the rise in Chitral

Report Zahiruddin

CHITRAL: The community ophthalmologist of the District Headquarters Hospital has said eye disease ‘trachoma’ is affecting the local population at an alarming rate.
Talking to this corerspondent here on Monday, Dr Faizul Mulk Jilani claimed that every fifth person in the district had contracted the disease.
According to the World Health Organisation, he said, the disease ranked second in eye diseases in the world and the poor nations were more vulnerable to it.
He said the infectious disease, which could lead to blindness, transmitted fast and in Chitral this happened due to its ‘peculiar’ social and cultural circumstances.
Dr Jilani said the disease became hard to be cured when reached a certain stage. He said the high occurrence of the disease in Chitral had been supported by a special survey and the record of the district hospital and it had been established that during summer, the infection spread more rapidly.
He said the disease encompassed five stages before it became incurable and the infected persons in Chitral were well within the safe stages of the disease. He said the WHO had formulated a strategy “SAFE” (surgery, antibiotic, face washing and environmental change) to combat the disease and it needed to be implemented in Chitral on emergency footings.--Dawn

Chitrali women have vast economic opportunities: Report

Report Zahiruddin


CHITRAL: A study reveals that there are enormous opportunities for women entrepreneurship in the district but the cultural barriers and lack of skills restricted them to do business.
Lack of integration, capacity and business environment were also enumerated as the reasons in the report, conducted by the Regional Women Empowerment Project of the AKRSP.
The report notes the huge information gap between the producers and the market which has minimised bargaining power of the producers. Although, Chitral is rich in resources along with the availability of relevant local skills, but the under-development of natural resources management is the main cause of the situation.
It also counts the absence of all-weather road from Chitral to other parts of the country and high transportation cost is inhibiting factors in the existing supply chain network.
“Transaction cost automatically increases in Chitral as one has to deal with a large number of small producers not organised under a single platform,” the report adds. The women of Chitral suffer due to lack of capacity to have perception of the market dimensions due to their inefficiencies while they find themselves in the chains of social bonds.
Describing the other hindrances, the report mentions the existence of bulk traders who control the flow of market information and buy the products from the consumers at minimum possible prices.
The report suggests that capacity-building is needed in almost all the identified sectors like poultry farming, honeybee keeping, handicrafts and kitchen gardening by applying plastic film or greenhouse technology due to the intense climatic conditions.
It suggests that a highly functional support market should be established and for this, the involvement of private sector must be ensured. The report cites example of fresh fruit sub-sector in Chitral where the overall production of apple, apricot, pears and other fruits have been increased in the last ten years. But the growers are still dependent on down country traders to buy their products at their farm gates and take away the produce in their own packaging.
The report strongly recommends proper mechanism for the flow of market information to the local producers to save them from the exploitation of tycoon.

Work on Yarkhun bridge begins again

DIZG/Mastuj: Work on the vital bridge linking the Yarkhun valley with other parts of Chitral has started for the fourth time.
Report say quite a large number of labourers mostly Pashtun have arrived at the site near Khotanlsht and started work on the reconstruction of the bridge which had collapsed in Aug 2006.
Earlier, three times work on the project was initiated but soon abandoned on one pretext or the other.

Chitral students body elects office-bearers

PESHAWAR: The Chitrali students studying in various educational institutions in Peshawar elected office-bearers for Chitral Students Welfare Association on Monday.A statement issued here on Monday said that a total of 758 students polled their votes in the annual elections wherein Iqbal Murtaza got 292 votes and was elected as president of the association. His rival candidates Ahmed obtained 176 votes and Qazi Faisal secured 180 votes.
Shaujaat Ali was elected as general secretary, Azhar Khaliq finance secretary, Irfan Aziz cultural secretary and Haq Nawz Khan as information secretary.
The body was formed at the Peshawar district level and Mehboob Azam was elected as Peshawar University campus president. Tariq Ibrahim was elected as patron and Mohammad Aftab as chairman of the association. These offices were created this year.
The newly-elected office-bearers pledged to solve the problems of students belonging to Chitral and raise their voice on every forum.
They said most of the students were facing residential problems and despite repeated efforts they were not accommodated in the hostels.
Most of the students, they said, belonged to poor families and couldn’t afford expenses of private residences.
They demanded of the government to provide residential facilities to the students.

Islam best solution to crises: speakers

Dawn


By Zar Alam Khan

ISLAMABAD: Speakers at a Seerat conference here stressed the need for finding solutions to the emerging challenges faced by the Muslims in the teachings of Islam and the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

They said Muslims had deviated from the golden path of their religion while the West had extensively studied and taken full benefits of the teachings of Islam.

The conference was organised by Chitral Development Forum (CDF) in connection with the ongoing celebrations on the completion of the first phase of Lowari Rail Tunnel at the International Islamic University (IIU) on Sunday evening.

Ulema, scholars, researchers and political leaders, mostly from the district of Chitral, dwelt at length on the causes behind degeneration in Muslim societies, saying deviation from the teachings of Islam was the main reason behind the troubles and crises in many Islamic countries.

Member National Assembly (MNA) from Chitral Shahzada Mohiuddin said the need for unity among the Muslims was direly needed today as never before, because the country was passing through a critical moment of its history. He regretted that ulema and religious leaders had not properly fulfilled their obligation of spreading the true message of Islam and themselves fallen into different factions.

He said progress and development of Chitral, especially in the post-Lowari Tunnel scenario, was linked with maintenance of the existing peace, tranquility and inter-community harmony and tolerance in the valley for which the local residents had to play their role irrespective of their religious and political affiliations. He also called upon the people of Chitral to preserve and protect their unique culture as well as landed property after the area opens up to the outside world.

NWFP Minister for Population Welfare Salim Khan said due to our weaknesses, anti-Islam forces had succeeded in their design of pitching Muslims against each other and tarnishing the image of the great religion.

He said people of Chitral had lived in peace and harmony through centuries and in the prevailing situation, the valley had become a model for other areas to follow. He stressed the need for maintaining the exemplary congenial atmosphere in the district particularly after the opening of the Lowari Tunnel.

Others who spoke on the occasion included Qazi Faiz Elahi, Dr Inamur Rehman, Prof Israruddin, Faridullah, Maulana Abdur Rahim, Maulana Khalilur Rehman, Amir Shah, Zaheeruddin Behram and Habibur Rehman.

Officials bypassing distt govt, says nazim

By Our Correspondent

CHITRAL: The district nazim and members of the district council were unanimous to register their displeasure over alleged illegal appointments in the education, health and agriculture departments.
Levelling allegations against the provincial government, they said that the district government was being ignored. They said that they were elected representatives of the district but the provincial government ignored them in all spheres of decisions which affected the public.
Addressing on the occasion, District Nazim Maghfirat Shah warned the government that the district government and members of the council would go to any extent to register their protest and to make their importance and significance felt. “I do not shrink from staging a sit-in against the provincial government for seizing and capturing the authorities of the district government,” the enraged nazim said.
He said that the executive officers of the local departments were seeking directions from the provincial government bypassing the district government. At the behest of the provincial government, he said, the outgoing EDO education created a new record of merit violations. He demanded of the government to cancel the appointments in the education, health and agriculture departments.
Through a resolution, moved by Sohrab Khan of Sheshi Koh union council, the house demanded of the government to initiate inquiry into the works and services department for the alleged substandard construction of road for the Sheshi Koh valley at a cost of Rs25 million.

BUS STANDS: The tehsil municipal administration (TMA) Chitral has launched a drive against the illegal bus stands in the city which caused public nuisance and created disturbance for the smooth flow of vehicular traffic, Tehsil Nazim Sartaj Ahmed Khan said.
He said that a spacious bus stand had been established with all necessary and modern facilities for the commuters and no one would be allowed to run bus stands in various corners of the city.
Mr Khan said that with the rapid expansion of city settlements, the traffic problems had assumed a new and challenging form for the people but the TMA had solved a good number of them despite its limited resources and financial crisis.--Dawn

If you don't like Malakand Division, go away: say JUI leadres

Report Bashir Hussain Azad, Chitral

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Chitral held a public gathering in fevour of Nizam-i-Adl regulation at the school football ground here on Friday. A large number of people from different walks of life participated in the gathering.

Speaking on the occasion, former MPA Maulana Jahangir said the people of Chitral appreciated the initiative of Nizam-i-Adl regulation taken by the present government and fully supported it.

Other speakers during the gathering condemned those elements who they said made rumours that Chitralis were not happy with Nizam-i-Adl regulation. They also added that the people of Chitral were happy to live in Malakand Division, adding those who don’t want to live in Malakand Division should migrate to some other areas. The speakers also criticized the female staff of local NGOs for not observing Purda and mixing with males in different public places.

Among the speakers were Maulana Bilinaz, Major (r) Ahmed Saeed, Qazi Nasim. Qari Jamal presented a poem in favour of Nizam-i-Adl regulation.

Markhor hunted by American lady in Chitral

CHITRAL: An American woman hunted Kashmiri Markhor in Chitral after paying $84,000, Shahzada Amir Hasanatuddin, General Secretary of Alburkhan Wildlife conservation committee, told this scribe. He said Ms Kathery of USA was issued the hunting permit after she paid the amount. He said the lady was shown a young and sound Kashmiri Markhor at Toshi conservation area. The lady hunter climbed the mountainous area of Toshi and hunted the Markhor having 44 inches of horn. He said that this is the first time in the history of Chitral that an American lady hunted Kashmiri Markhor. He said Chitral is a peaceful place and there is no risk or any tension for foreign tourists and hunters.--GH Farooqui

Elite force for Chitral planned

Report Zahiruddin

CHITRAL: The police would raise an elite force with trained personnel to combat any act of terrorism, the district police chief said on Wednesday.
DPO Sher Akbar said the first batch of 102 junior officials and head constables from the district police had been sent to get training on modern scientific lines. He said that to keep pace with the needs of the coming days, the training of police force was inevitable.
He said that ideal situation of peace and tranquillity prevailed in the district and its maintenance was the prime duty of police, and it was possible only when its personnel were imparted extensive training and they were equipped with modern gadgets. He said that necessities of the police were being fulfilled.

EID MILAD: Conferences were held in mosques and community halls in the district on the occasion of Eid Miladun Nabi on Tuesday.
Speakers on the occasion, highlighted the life of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and stressed the need to act upon the teachings of Islam to mitigate the sufferings of mankind.
The district administration had arranged a conference. Chitral DCO Motasim Billah Shah and intellectuals Dr Inayatullah Faizi, Professor Abdus Sami, Moulana Israruddin Al-Hilal and Tehsil Nazim Sartaj Ahmed Khan spoke on the occasion. They said that Islam stood for peace and amity and the central theme of its teachings was love for mankind and fraternity.

Work on Lowari Tunnel second phase in full swing

By Bakhtawar Mian

ISLAMABAD: The National Highway Authority (NHA) has completed excavation work on the Lowari Tunnel project which will be opened for traffic next year, NHA spokesman Kashif Zaman told this reporter on Sunday.
He said after completion of the first phase on January 14, speedy work was in progress including laying of railway track, air ventilation system, lighting system, walkways and a loop in the middle of the passage. Once operational, the 8.5 kilometer-long Lowari Tunnel will be the biggest project of its kind in Pakistan, he added.
General Manager Lowari Tunnel project Col (retired) Salman Rashid told Dawn that the cost of the project prepared in the year 2000 was about Rs8 billion which was now likely to touch the Rs13 billion mark due to the continuing rise in prices. “We are working on the revised cost,” he added.
According to the plan, a rail will run through the seven-metre wide tunnel. Vehicles of all kinds with the passengers on board will be uploaded onto the rail at one end of the tunnel and downloaded at the other. The rail proposed to be run through the track will have the capacity of carrying about 23 vehicles. In the middle of the tunnel, there will be a loop for changing track by the trains. Approach roads will also be constructed on both sides of the tunnel.
The tunnel will provide the valley of Chitral with an all-weather route besides giving Pakistan a short and easy access to the Central Asian countries. The opening of the tunnel will also boost tourism and trade activities in the area.
The GM said the tunnel was a complex project and, therefore, technical assistance was sought from foreign experts. Accordingly, Austria provided all the technical help in excavation of the tunnel while Spain will assist the NHA in laying of the railway track and engines, he said.--Dawn

Embroidered textile pieces from Chitral on display in Islamabad

By Jonaid Iqbal



ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information Sherry Rehman opened a unique exhibition of 23 embroidered textile pieces depicting universality of women’s lives across the globe at the National Art Gallery here on Sunday evening.

The exhibition, “Gup Shup, the domestic, the narrative and cups of Chai”, illustrating the ebb and flow in everyday life of women in Chitral was part of the International Women’s Day celebrations. The objective of the exhibition is to provide space to female artisans of Chitral.

The minister praised the compositions stitched on the textile specimens, describing each piece as ‘electic, aesthetic frame’ done by common Chitrali women artists that gave the impression as if they had received influences of post-modern art.

She passed an order that the women artists should be taken on a tour of art galleries for improving their art and also to get berth in commercial centres of Karachi and Lahore so as to bring them a ‘monetary reward’.

Exhibition organiser Rolla Khadduri said on the occasion that the aim was to provide sharp contrast to the way Pakistan, especially Pakistani women, had been represented abroad recently, denying the common fact of universality of women lives across the world.

These textile pieces also seem to make a statement to the effect that although there were variations within cultures, women concerns and emotions remained the same across the world.

Each textile piece has a story centring round folksy home wisdom and everyday experience in women’s lives; as for example the textile piece Pot Swap done by Zaibun and family focuses on exchange of dishes between neighbours during Ramazan.

A wall hanging called I want to be pilot woven by three women artisans - Nasreen, Musarrat and Faham - depicts a women’s urge to be an aviator.

Textile pieces such as Mehndi and Harvest on display speak of the worries and happiness of life and dreams of marriages. A post-script says that the mother of the bride never applied Mehndi on her daughter’s palm because she is busy crying for her daughter who would be leaving her. The harhshness of Chitaki weather is shown on two art work Mantlepiece and Calendar which relate important happening in Chitrali weather according to months.

An overseas NGO, ‘Polly and Me, collaborated in mounting the exhibition, joint work of Cath Braid, an Australian fashion designer as well as Rolla Khaduri, a Lebanese lady. Braid has been here for over six years and Khadduri for more than four years in Pakistan.

Cath and Rolla designed a series of self-financed workshop between March and November last year training about 400 women workers in two embroidery centres in the isolated mountain area of Chitral, which remains cut-off for at least a quarter of the year from the rest of the country.

The two ladies wish to take this travelling exhibition to Australia, the United Emirates as well as the United Kingdom.--Dawn

Lowari tunnel modification - Letter

This refers to news item “Lowari as road tunnel under consideration” which contains proposals presented by PPP leader Wg Cdr (R) Fardad Ali Shah to the Federal Minister for communication Dr. Arbab Alamgir Khan about the Lowari road tunnel instead of railway network. We appreciate the recommendations put forward by Wg Cdr ( R) Fardad Ali Shah keeping in view the best interests of the people of Chitral and to make effective use of the Lowari Tunnel. We share the views with Fardad Ali Shah that how can a sophisticated railway system be expected to be operated efficiently in this remote place of our country. Keeping in view the past poor performance of our railway system many experts in the relevant field have already expressed their reservations about the successful operation of the proposed railway system through the tunnel. Now the Wg Cdr (R) has taken a positive initiative in trying to persuade the concerned high authorities to modify the proposed Lowari Rail Tunnel into a road tunnel on right time. The federal minister for communication Arbab Alamgir Khan also agrees with the changed proposals, which shows the possibility of modification in the said design of the tunnel.


The meeting shows that both dignitaries take keen interest in the successful launch of the Lowari Tunnel. That is why they are in favour of the effective utilization of the resources to be used now and in future.

After taking all the technicalities in mind, the said proposal presented by Wg Cdr (R) Fardad Ali Shah should be given due consideration by all the stake holders of the Lowari Rail Tunnel to in the best interest of Chitral.



Bashir Hussain Azad,

Chitral.

CSWO president enumerates achievements

Report Bashir Hussain Azad

Chitral: President Chitral Students Welfare Organization Islamabad Shafiqul Mulk has pledged to take all students on board. Shafiq also expressed the hope that being President of students’ body he will leave no stone unturned to make the organization effective and dynamic. As the students have reposed their trust in him he will come up to the expectations of the students, said the president.

Shafiq enumerated those achievements after being elected President of CSWO Islamabad on 18th Oct 2008. His major contributions to the students’ body are as follows:

1. Due to his efforts through the CSWO platform, Joint Secretary Ministry of Human Rights Malik Khusdil Khan announced to establish campus of Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University in Chitral.

2. Inspite of being financially deficient, CSWO held magnificent tournament to encourage the students on the occasion of Eid, which helped people know the body. MNA Islamabad Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry participated in the final of the tournament as a chief guest and assured the students of his every possible support.

3. Although CSWO is pressed with financial problems, but held inaugural ceremony of the new cabinet and cultural show on self help basis. To promote the culture of Chitral luminaries of Chitrali culture were invited. In this cultural show, students from all over Chitral and people in great number participated. MNA Chitral Shahzada Mohyudin and Qazi Fazal Elahi were chief guest and president of the show respectively. Other dignitaries included Abdul Wali Khan Advocate, Eng. Taimur Shah, Khusdil Khan Khattak, Sultan Mehmud, Shahzada Iftikharuddin, Zaar Khan, Miss Lakshan Bibi, Dr Sharifuddin, Malik Hyder Ayub Khan and President CSWO Peshawar University Rizwan Romi.

4. Senior Vice President Mohammad Mehtab Hussain and Vice President Zahur Elahi called on Chief Commissioner Islamabad and apprised him of the problems of the organization who promised to extend his full support.

5. Delegation of CSWO also held a meeting with Salim Khan, Provincial Minister of Population Welfare and briefed him about the CSWO.

6. Special arrangements were made for the security of the show and Islamabad, motorway police and Intelligence Agencies extended their co-operation.



7. Patron-in-Chief of Zuhoor Education Academy announced to donate an office for CSWO in Denin.

President CSWO Islamabad further added that the organization will arrange high level seminars and tours for the students and registration campaign of the students will be conducted.

Lowari tunnel opens for public

By Zahiruddin



CHITRAL: The National Highway Authority (NHA) has opened the unfinished Lowari tunnel for public for one hour daily to enable stranded passengers leave and enter the district, sources said here on Friday.

The NHA operated two vans through the tunnel carrying 16 persons each but hundreds of passengers had to go back from Dir side of the tunnel, passengers reaching here said.

The NHA has reportedly decided to operate only two trips daily which would help 32 passengers to go on either side but the strength of the passengers was estimated to be three times more than the allowed number.

Residents of the district have demanded of the government to increase the duration to accommodate more passengers. This would not affect the pace of work in the tunnel because each trip took about fifteen minutes and four trips could be arranged in one hour.

Strangely enough, the district nazim and district coordination officer were not aware of the arrangement made by the NHA. When contacted, they expressed their ignorance about the introduction of the service. Chitral DCO claimed that according to his knowledge, no such decision had been taken either by the provincial or the federal government.



PML-N MEETS: The PML-N held a meeting at Drosh town to protest the disqualification of Sharif brothers and imposition of governor rule in Punjab.

Speakers Fazlur Rehman, Zar Ajam, Sajidullah, Irshad Javed and others alleged that President Zardari was involved in the conspiracy to get the PML-N leaders disqualified. They said party leadership would not deviate an inch from its stand to struggle for revival of the November 2, 2007 judiciary and they were ready for any sacrifice in this regard.

They said that maximum number of party workers would participate in the long march which would be a decisive step for the emancipation of the judiciary.



HEALTH DEPT: The president of Paramedical Association Chitral Khurshid Ahmed has alleged that the district executive officer health was incapable to run the office as the department was deteriorating day by day.

Talking to the media here, he said that the association had decided to initiate movement against the department to bring about positive changes in it. He alleged large scale irregularities in the appointments of various posts in the department and said that EDO health had a central role in it.--Dawn

Hungry snow leopards scare Chitral residents

CHITRAL: Snow leopards from the high altitude have come down due to intense cold posing threat to the people and cattle, residents said here on Wednesday.

Residents of Balach, Singoor, Seen Lusth and Shali villages said that the beasts had attacked the people and cattle in the past. They said that once an endangered species the snow leopard had now a considerable population in the national park and its surrounding mountains.

An official of the wildlife department said that the animal descended to lower altitude only when the weather conditions forced them in pursuit of food. --Zahiruddin

Chitral River turned into dumping ground

Report Zahiruddin



CHITRAL: The Chitral river is gradually turning into a garbage dumping place due to sheer negligence of the Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA), the residents complained.

Talking to this correspondent here on Wednesday, they said that with the expansion of settlements, the river was receiving more pollutants in absence of any controlling measures by the government. They said that the TMA had never bothered to chalk out strategy to dump solid wastes of the city and some TMA workers were also dumping wastes in the river.

According to the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) report, the daily production of solid waste in the city exceeds 10 tons and all this mass is thrown into the river. A resident said that incinerators and burning pits for the wastes must be provided by the TMA.

Some residents complained that almost all of the automobile workshops had been established near the river and the poisonous fluid was constantly drained into the river apart from other solid waste. They said that over the years, fish had become extinct in the river.

They added that the owners of the commercial buildings and houses near the river had directed sewerage lines directly into the river. They said that this made the water stinking specially in summer and it caused diseases.

Some residents alleged that the TMA was wholly responsible for sanitation of the city but it was showing total indifference which made the condition worse with each passing day. They said that the owners of the buildings must be dealt legally on account of public nuisance.

Chitral stream which passes through the bazaar area was the dirtiest place in the city and it ultimately added its filths to the river. Some residents remember the days in the recent past when the local households consumed the water of the stream which had now turned into a stream of filth and solid waste. No contact could be established with the tehsil nazim despite repeated efforts to know his version.

Lowari should be road tunnel

Dawn

By Zar Alam Khan

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Communication is seriously considering making Lowari Tunnel a road passage instead of laying railway track in it as planned originally.
This was stated by PPP Chitral chapter leader Wing Cdr (retired) Fardad Ali Shah while talking to this correspondent after holding a meeting with Federal Minister for Communication Dr Arbab Alamgir and the officials of the National Highway Authority (NHA) on Tuesday.
“The federal minister said he personally had a feeling that road traffic instead of railway through the Lowari Tunnel would be more appropriate,” Mr Shah said.
The PPP leader thanked the government and its executing agency, the NHA, for constructing the tunnel, but said it would be imprudent to marginalise the usage of the tunnel by restricting it to a mini-rail tunnel despite spending billions of rupees.
He said the NHA chairman also assured him during the meeting that his recommendation would be seriously considered and best decision in the interest of the people and the area would be taken.
He said even if the phenomenal purchase cost of the rail system was to be overlooked, the railway dispensation would be a white elephant and an obstruction to smooth flow of traffic, always under the threat of breakdowns, mismanagement and operating lacunas.
He mentioned over two dozens road tunnels of over 10 kilometres length (some even narrower than the Lowari Tunnel) including the 24-kilometre-long Laerdal road tunnel in Norway which were functioning successfully.
Mr Shah said experience showed that even bulldozers clearing snow from the Lowari roads could not be maintained properly as after every two days of operations they become unserviceable for next one week and lacked maintenance.
“So how can a sophisticated railway system be expected to be operated efficiently in that remote place,” he added.
He insisted that the tunnel be kept simple, adding if we do not take right decision now we would be regretting later after wasting billions of rupees from the national exchequer unnecessarily.

Chitral admin asks traders to raise LPG rate

Report Bashir Hussain Azad, Chitral

After the closure of Lowari top, LPG disappeared from the market, but some traders after a month later imported the cylinders from Afghanistan and were selling them at Rs130 kg. However, the administration didn’t take any action against them. Recently, some LPG cylinders loaded tracks reached Chitral via Kunar road and supplied Pakistani gas to the market and because of the healthy competition between two kinds of gas traders the rates fell down to the Rs90 per kg. Today we learnt from the local traders of LPG that the local administration has ordered them to sell the Pakistani LPG at Rs100 kg instead of Rs90. It is a strange kind of administrative order to the business class to fleece poor people of Chitral.

Loadshedding continues in Chitral bazaar

Chitral: The electricity supply from the national grid has been restored by PESCO authorities as well as the repairing has also been done in local power house and the water level has raised with the continuous rains but still the Chitral bazaar faces 12 hours day time loadshedding after each two days. The delegations of traders have frequently been meeting the district administration and being assured of ending the loadshedding but still the problem persists. This has badly affected businesses of the local traders. On asking, the PESCO authorities never give satisfactory answer and continue the power cuts as well as unscheduled loadshedding in Chitral bazaar.--Bashir Hussain Azad

Land settlement deptt staff form union

CHITRAL: A meeting of the land settlement department Chitral staff, especially patwaris (land steward, land record keepers), discussed their problems and decided to form a union for solving their problems.
They approved the the establishmnet of Chitral Patwari Union and elected Qadir Aman as its president. Amjad Farid was elected general secretary, Shabir Ahmad, vice president Drosh, Abdul Ghafoor vice-president Booni, Murtaza Ali, vice-president Chitral, Qazi Ihsanullah finance secretary, and Zafarullah as deputy general secretary. The newly-elected president of the union demanded that the government should regularize the services of the land settlement department workers on a priority basis.--GH Farooqui

Four Yarkhun residents frost bitten

CHITRAL: Three persons coming from Gilgit to Yarkhun Lasht on foot suffered frost bite and landed at a hospital where doctors said their legs might be amputated.

According to reports, Tama Jan, son of Pook Lali, Wor Gulab, son of Murad Ali, and Khurshid, son of Mailis Khan, all residents of Yarkhun Lasht, had gone to Gilgit for work. They were coming back for offering condolence for their four relatives who died when an avalanche hit them a few weeks back. Aftrer travelling more than 48 hours on the snow-packed road, they became unconscious and were taken to a hospital in Booni. The hospital sources said if they did not recovered by normal treatment, the victims' legs would have to be amputated. GH Farooqui

varsity, hostel closure troubles Chitrali students in Peshawar

THE closure of the Peshawar University and its hostels after a clash between two students' groups on the campus has left Chitrali students in a lurch.
The clash erupted when the activists of Islami Jamiat Talaba tried to stop a musical programme of Pakhtun Students Federation causing injuries to nine students and peovoking the administration to close down the university and its hostels for a week.
The hostels were closed to search for arms and evict the outsiders.
The Chitrali students cannot go to their homes due to closure of roads and unavailability of flights and have rented rooms in different youth hostels on exorbitant rates.
Chitral Students Federation President Mohammad Aftab said they had approached the provost of the hostels and the police officials for solving their problems but to no avail.
He said at least 120 students from Chitral were living in different hostels. He said students from the militancy-hit areas of Bajaur and Swat had been given hostels during the period but the Chitrali students were being denied this right.

Musical concert heralds spring in Chitral

CHITRAL: A musical concert was organized at Governor Cottage
by Tehsil Municipal Administration to welcome the spring
season.
Dr Nazir Ahmad, medical superintendent of DHQ Hospital, was
the chief guest on the occasion. Local artists enthralled
the audience through their arts which was highly appreciated.
Addressing on the occasion Tehsil Nazim Chitral Sartaj Ahmad
Khan said TMA arranged this colorful evening to welcome
spring season and to see off winter.--GH Farooqui

Two houses gutted

CHITRAL: Two houses consisting of more than 43 rooms were burnt in two fire incidents which erupted due to short circuiting in Birir and Drosh area.
According to the Ayun police, the first fire broke out at the house of Abdul Razzaq in Birir village of Kalash valley. As many as 33 rooms were gutted in the flames. One government middle school for boys located nearby the house was also badly affected by the fire. The local volunteers extinguished the flames from spreading
further. The second incidence occurred at Drosh where the house of Abdullah, an Afghan refugee resident of Langa village, caught fire due to short circuiting. As a result, 10 rooms were burnt.Goods worth millions of rupees were damaged in both the incidents.--GH Farooqui