By Zar Alam Khan
ISLAMABAD, April 11, 2010: As the protest against the renaming of NWFP as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa continues in the Hazara Division, the other non-Pashtun areas, especially Chitral, have largely been indifferent to the issue.
Most of the people of Chitral contacted for comments by Dawn were of the view that the renaming of the province was not an issue as there were already plenty of problems needing resolution on a priority basis. However, they said the Pashtoon people, who were in majority in the province, had the right to rename the province as they wished.
Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) MNA from Chitral Shahzada Mohiyuddin did not raise any voice against the renaming of the province in the National Assembly. He even objected to a remark by an MNA from Abbottabad that the people of Chitral were also against the renaming of the province as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. On a point of order, Mr Mohiyuddin clarified that though the people of Chitral did not speak Pashto and have a distinct cultural identity, they were not against the renaming of the province as Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa.
However, Jamaat-i-Islami leader and former MNA Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali expressed concern over the way the provincial and federal governments had renamed the province without taking non-Pashtoon groups into confidence. He said Chitral was inhabited by over 0.6 million people who spoke the Khowar language. He said the political representatives of Chitral should have been taken onboard. “This unilateral decision of the government threatens the very existence of all the non-Pashtoon groups besides creating ethnic polarisation in the province,” he maintained.
Meanwhile, the youth of Chitral have opposed the renaming of the province saying it threatened the identity and survival of the non-Pashtoon people.
Talking to Dawn, Idrees Hayat, the chairman of Chitral Students Welfare Organisation (CSWO), said the silence of Chitralis should not be taken as a sign of weakness. “It is not the nature of Chitralis to make hue and cry; we are a peaceful people, but let it be known to all that the vast majority of the people of Chitral are against the renaming of NWFP as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.”
He said the Pashtoons and Khow people of Chitral have lived together in peace and harmony, but the fact of the matter is that we are not Pashtoons and are against the renaming of NWFP as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. “We wholeheartedly support the people of Hazara in their stand against the unjust renaming of our province.”
He said the areas inhabited by non-Pashto speaking people like Chitral, Hazara, Kohistan and Dera Ismail Khan collectively formed majority of the land of NWFP. He said the renaming of the ethnically and geographically diverse province after one group of people was an injustice with the other groups.
A number of residents of Chitral while talking to Dawn said Chitral was one of the princely states that were the first to join Pakistan in 1947. They said Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah had assured the then Mehtar (ruler) of Chitral that the government of Pakistan would not interfere in the internal affairs of the princely state. “However, soon after the death of the Quaid, the rulers started indulging in conspiracies and in 1969 merged the area into the NWFP as a district without taking the local people into confidence or promising to ensure their socio-economic and cultural well being.
“Since then we have faced all types of discrimination and injustices. Today Chitral remains one of the most backward and neglected areas of the country despite the fact that it possesses abundant natural and human resources,” they added.
They said in order to promote and protect their socio-economic interests and cultural identity, Chitral should either be given under the direct administrative control of the federal government or merged into Gilgit-Baltistan.--Dawn
Monday, April 12, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Literati call for projecting Chitral’s culture
By Zar Alam Khan
ISLAMABAD, March 21, 2010: Literary figures and poets from Chitral have demanded that the government should take initiatives to protect their language and culture which have long been marginalised due to lack of patronage.
They were speaking at a literary function arranged by the Khyber News television channel in collaboration with the Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) here on Saturday.
The speakers said Chitral was a treasure trove of ancient traditions and languages, stressing that out of about 30 languages in the NWFP, 14 were spoken in the Chitral. About 1.2 million people living in Chitral and some parts of Gilgit-Baltistan, besides many more around the world, speak the Khowar language.
The speakers regretted that no steps had ever been taken at the government level for protection and preservation of small languages and cultures in the district, which could help promote national integration and eliminate the sense of deprivation among the marginalised sections of society.
“Many of our ancient traditions particularly folk games, folk stories and practices have disappeared in the recent past and if the trend continued a day would come when we would lose our remaining vestige of the past, including our mother language,” they warned.
They said Chitralis at the individual level and under the umbrella of Anjuman Taraqi-i-Khowar had been working to preserve and protect the language. However, government departments and agencies, including the state-owned electronic media, always ignored Chitral as far as promotion of its cultures and language was concerned.
The speakers demanded that the government should open offices of the PAL and the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) in Chitral to promote the cultural heritage, especially at a time when the country was poised to open up to the Central Asian states with the construction of the Lowari Tunnel.
They also demanded setting up of a university in the valley and publication of a Khowar dictionary.
“The CDA should also name at least two roads after legendary Chitrali poets and writers Mohammad Shakoor and Baba Mohammad Siyar,” they added.
ISLAMABAD, March 21, 2010: Literary figures and poets from Chitral have demanded that the government should take initiatives to protect their language and culture which have long been marginalised due to lack of patronage.
They were speaking at a literary function arranged by the Khyber News television channel in collaboration with the Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) here on Saturday.
The speakers said Chitral was a treasure trove of ancient traditions and languages, stressing that out of about 30 languages in the NWFP, 14 were spoken in the Chitral. About 1.2 million people living in Chitral and some parts of Gilgit-Baltistan, besides many more around the world, speak the Khowar language.
The speakers regretted that no steps had ever been taken at the government level for protection and preservation of small languages and cultures in the district, which could help promote national integration and eliminate the sense of deprivation among the marginalised sections of society.
“Many of our ancient traditions particularly folk games, folk stories and practices have disappeared in the recent past and if the trend continued a day would come when we would lose our remaining vestige of the past, including our mother language,” they warned.
They said Chitralis at the individual level and under the umbrella of Anjuman Taraqi-i-Khowar had been working to preserve and protect the language. However, government departments and agencies, including the state-owned electronic media, always ignored Chitral as far as promotion of its cultures and language was concerned.
The speakers demanded that the government should open offices of the PAL and the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) in Chitral to promote the cultural heritage, especially at a time when the country was poised to open up to the Central Asian states with the construction of the Lowari Tunnel.
They also demanded setting up of a university in the valley and publication of a Khowar dictionary.
“The CDA should also name at least two roads after legendary Chitrali poets and writers Mohammad Shakoor and Baba Mohammad Siyar,” they added.
MNA seeks removal of ‘flaws’ in Norwegian project
By Zar Alam Khan
ISLAMABAD, March 20: Member National Assembly from Chitral Shahzada Mohiuddin has expressed the fear that the Rs1 billion Norwegian-funded development project in his district may not achieve the desired results if flaws and lack of transparency in its execution system were not removed on time.
Talking to Dawn here, he said he had pointed out all the shortcomings and technical flaws to the Norwegian ambassador at a meeting in Islamabad and expressed the hope that the government of Norway would take timely steps to remove them in the best interest of the people of Chitral.
He said the five-year Chitral Integrated Area Development Project (CIADP) was launched in 2009 without taking stakeholders into confidence. Besides, the project has been contracted out to an Islamabad-based firm which has no experience of carrying out development work in the area. About 20 per cent of the funds would go to the firm which has hired offices in Islamabad and Chitral drawing extra finances from the project.
He said the firm had hired inexperienced human resource at the cost of quality project implementation. As a result, so far there have been no substantial development initiatives in areas where the firm claims it has launched works.
The MNA said the people of his area welcomed the mega project and hoped that it would help build their capacities to meet the new challenges especially after the opening up of the valley with the construction of the Lowari Tunnel.
However, to attain the desired objectives it was imperative that the project responded to the needs of the local population. At the moment, he said, this does not seem to be happening leading to fears that incompetence and lack of transparency in the project execution may lead to wastage of the money.
Mr Mohiuddin also said representatives of almost all political parties in the district had expressed concern that they were not taken into confidence about the implementation of the project. He, however, regretted that the Norwegian authorities seemed to be in the dark about the flaws in the project implementation and how their taxpayers’ money would be utilised.
He also pointed out that the Islamabad-based company should not play the role of an implementer because it lacked experience in understanding the local environment and requirements. The local communities should be involved in the development process because they have demonstrated in the past that projects executed with their participation had always been effective, efficient and sustainable.
He said the Norwegian authorities were even unable to say how much money had so far been released to the project and its different sectors.
When contacted, an official at the Norwegian embassy said they had hired the private firm through a transparent process which would implement the project in collaboration with the district government. He said they had briefed the MNA about the project in detail.--Dawn
ISLAMABAD, March 20: Member National Assembly from Chitral Shahzada Mohiuddin has expressed the fear that the Rs1 billion Norwegian-funded development project in his district may not achieve the desired results if flaws and lack of transparency in its execution system were not removed on time.
Talking to Dawn here, he said he had pointed out all the shortcomings and technical flaws to the Norwegian ambassador at a meeting in Islamabad and expressed the hope that the government of Norway would take timely steps to remove them in the best interest of the people of Chitral.
He said the five-year Chitral Integrated Area Development Project (CIADP) was launched in 2009 without taking stakeholders into confidence. Besides, the project has been contracted out to an Islamabad-based firm which has no experience of carrying out development work in the area. About 20 per cent of the funds would go to the firm which has hired offices in Islamabad and Chitral drawing extra finances from the project.
He said the firm had hired inexperienced human resource at the cost of quality project implementation. As a result, so far there have been no substantial development initiatives in areas where the firm claims it has launched works.
The MNA said the people of his area welcomed the mega project and hoped that it would help build their capacities to meet the new challenges especially after the opening up of the valley with the construction of the Lowari Tunnel.
However, to attain the desired objectives it was imperative that the project responded to the needs of the local population. At the moment, he said, this does not seem to be happening leading to fears that incompetence and lack of transparency in the project execution may lead to wastage of the money.
Mr Mohiuddin also said representatives of almost all political parties in the district had expressed concern that they were not taken into confidence about the implementation of the project. He, however, regretted that the Norwegian authorities seemed to be in the dark about the flaws in the project implementation and how their taxpayers’ money would be utilised.
He also pointed out that the Islamabad-based company should not play the role of an implementer because it lacked experience in understanding the local environment and requirements. The local communities should be involved in the development process because they have demonstrated in the past that projects executed with their participation had always been effective, efficient and sustainable.
He said the Norwegian authorities were even unable to say how much money had so far been released to the project and its different sectors.
When contacted, an official at the Norwegian embassy said they had hired the private firm through a transparent process which would implement the project in collaboration with the district government. He said they had briefed the MNA about the project in detail.--Dawn
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Risk allowance for Chitral police soon
By Zar Alam Khan
ISLAMABAD, March 13, 2010: Like other districts of the Malakand Division, the NWFP government will also pay special risk allowance to the Chitral police, according to chitraltoday.com.
This was stated by Awami National Party (ANP) President Asfandyar Wali Khan on the demand of MNA Shahzada Mohiuddin in the National Assembly on Thursday.
The MNA from Chitral complained that his district, which equally suffered due to the law and order situation and military operation in the region, had been exempted from the benefit being provided to the other five districts of the Malakand Division since October 2009. He said the Chitral police had also rendered sacrifices to maintain law and order in the valley as well as other parts of the region and should be provided all the facilities at par with their counterparts in the region.
He demanded that Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and the ANP chief should order the payment of the special allowance to the Chital police without delay, reported chitraltoday.com.
Speaking on the occasion, the ANP chief supported Mr Mohiuddin’s demand and said he would ask the chief minister of the NWFP to extend the special risk allowance to the Chitral police as well. He said there would be no discrimination against any area as far as providing facilities to the law enforcement agencies fighting the menace of militancy and terrorism was concerned.
Under the double salary package announced for the NWFP, salaries of the police officials from constable to SP ranks have been increased substantially. If implemented in Chitral, police constables would get Rs3,000 extra, head constable Rs3,500, SI Rs4,000 and inspector Rs4,500.--chitraltoday.com
ISLAMABAD, March 13, 2010: Like other districts of the Malakand Division, the NWFP government will also pay special risk allowance to the Chitral police, according to chitraltoday.com.
This was stated by Awami National Party (ANP) President Asfandyar Wali Khan on the demand of MNA Shahzada Mohiuddin in the National Assembly on Thursday.
The MNA from Chitral complained that his district, which equally suffered due to the law and order situation and military operation in the region, had been exempted from the benefit being provided to the other five districts of the Malakand Division since October 2009. He said the Chitral police had also rendered sacrifices to maintain law and order in the valley as well as other parts of the region and should be provided all the facilities at par with their counterparts in the region.
He demanded that Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and the ANP chief should order the payment of the special allowance to the Chital police without delay, reported chitraltoday.com.
Speaking on the occasion, the ANP chief supported Mr Mohiuddin’s demand and said he would ask the chief minister of the NWFP to extend the special risk allowance to the Chitral police as well. He said there would be no discrimination against any area as far as providing facilities to the law enforcement agencies fighting the menace of militancy and terrorism was concerned.
Under the double salary package announced for the NWFP, salaries of the police officials from constable to SP ranks have been increased substantially. If implemented in Chitral, police constables would get Rs3,000 extra, head constable Rs3,500, SI Rs4,000 and inspector Rs4,500.--chitraltoday.com
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Chitralis oppose occupation of natural resources by outsiders
By Zar Alam Khan
ISLAMABAD: The Frontier Miners Association’s Chitral chapter has warned of a strong resistance against bids to lease the valley’s natural resources to outsiders and the alleged injustices and discrimination continuing against the local miners.
It called upon Chief Minister NWFP Ameer Haider Khan Hoti to put an end to the injustices with the small miners of Chitral.
The chairman of the association’s Chitral chapter, Col (retired) Sardar Mohammad, said that for the last over 15 years officials of the survey and drawing section of the Directorate of Mines and Minerals, NWFP, had been passing on the GPS coordinates, including the mineral area maps of the prospective miners to non-local parties, pouring cold water on years-long efforts of the would-be miners of Chitral.
He said local investors had been deprived of their rights to lease while well-connected parties were being allotted the prospective areas much to the detriment of the indigenous people.
“This shows that Chitral is not only being robbed of its non-renewable assets, but also outside parties are being given a free hand to plunder the resources leaving the locals entangled in a rotten system.”
Col Sardar said when the DMM director general initiated action against the officials, the latter began approaching highly-placed people to keep alive their hopes of retaining their jobs, caring less for the fast-brewing charged atmosphere in Chitral where nationalistic tendencies were at an all time high.
“Resentment against the corrupt system and its inept officials has engulfed the entire district and forced political opponents to find common grounds to rise against gross injustices spanning over the past 63 years,” he added.
He said the local chapters of the PPP, PPP-S, PML-N, PML-Q, JUI, JI and ANP had agreed to safeguard the interest of the area and formed a mines and minerals monitoring committee to force the government to stop discrimination against the nascent local mining sector.
The monitoring committee, which is also headed by Col Sardar, has demanded that the government should share allotted areas’ details with the committee and the district administration, get the committee and the district administration’s clearance that personal property of local residents is not leased out, start work in an allotted area within three months of the issuance of clearance certificates, stop discrimination against the locals and ensure through a transparent system that locals get preference in lease allotments.
He said that amid rising unemployment rate in the remote district, such injustices were seen by all as the ethnic cleansing of the indigenous people. If not mitigated forthwith, such injustices have all the ingredients to spark violence in an otherwise calm Chitral that has served as a beacon of peace and force its residents towards a Balochistan-like situation. There is already a loud talk by Hazara district nazims to form a separate province where their rights are safeguarded and Chitral is being forced to think on the same lines.
Col Sardar called upon Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti to play the role of a statesman to safeguard the rights of Chitral and end the sense of deprivation in the district.
ISLAMABAD: The Frontier Miners Association’s Chitral chapter has warned of a strong resistance against bids to lease the valley’s natural resources to outsiders and the alleged injustices and discrimination continuing against the local miners.
It called upon Chief Minister NWFP Ameer Haider Khan Hoti to put an end to the injustices with the small miners of Chitral.
The chairman of the association’s Chitral chapter, Col (retired) Sardar Mohammad, said that for the last over 15 years officials of the survey and drawing section of the Directorate of Mines and Minerals, NWFP, had been passing on the GPS coordinates, including the mineral area maps of the prospective miners to non-local parties, pouring cold water on years-long efforts of the would-be miners of Chitral.
He said local investors had been deprived of their rights to lease while well-connected parties were being allotted the prospective areas much to the detriment of the indigenous people.
“This shows that Chitral is not only being robbed of its non-renewable assets, but also outside parties are being given a free hand to plunder the resources leaving the locals entangled in a rotten system.”
Col Sardar said when the DMM director general initiated action against the officials, the latter began approaching highly-placed people to keep alive their hopes of retaining their jobs, caring less for the fast-brewing charged atmosphere in Chitral where nationalistic tendencies were at an all time high.
“Resentment against the corrupt system and its inept officials has engulfed the entire district and forced political opponents to find common grounds to rise against gross injustices spanning over the past 63 years,” he added.
He said the local chapters of the PPP, PPP-S, PML-N, PML-Q, JUI, JI and ANP had agreed to safeguard the interest of the area and formed a mines and minerals monitoring committee to force the government to stop discrimination against the nascent local mining sector.
The monitoring committee, which is also headed by Col Sardar, has demanded that the government should share allotted areas’ details with the committee and the district administration, get the committee and the district administration’s clearance that personal property of local residents is not leased out, start work in an allotted area within three months of the issuance of clearance certificates, stop discrimination against the locals and ensure through a transparent system that locals get preference in lease allotments.
He said that amid rising unemployment rate in the remote district, such injustices were seen by all as the ethnic cleansing of the indigenous people. If not mitigated forthwith, such injustices have all the ingredients to spark violence in an otherwise calm Chitral that has served as a beacon of peace and force its residents towards a Balochistan-like situation. There is already a loud talk by Hazara district nazims to form a separate province where their rights are safeguarded and Chitral is being forced to think on the same lines.
Col Sardar called upon Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti to play the role of a statesman to safeguard the rights of Chitral and end the sense of deprivation in the district.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
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.