Monday, May 30, 2011

Ayun residents warn govt over forest royalty

CHITRAL, May 26, 2011: The residents of Ayun here warned the government that in case of any further delay in payment of forest royalty to them by the harvesting contractors, they will block the road to stop timber transportation from Chitral to Chakdara depot.

In a meeting held here, the villagers expressed their anguish over the inordinate delay in the clearance of royalty allegedly by the contractors Mohammad Khan and Shahzada Parvez.

They said according to rules, the contractors of Forest Development Corporation should readily pay the royalty to the locals after marking of the forest of Gol, Bumburate, for harvesting.

The villagers said the contractors had transported millions of cubic feet of timber from the area, but they were still hesitant to pay the locals their due right as given in the Gazette Notification of 1975.

They also alleged that the contractors had indulged in excessive cutting of forests beyond the marking limits and said that flash flood in the area last year were mainly due to the denuding forests. They asked the provincial government to stop the merciless cutting of trees.--Zahiruddin



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Thursday, May 26, 2011

Shandur Festival arrangements discussed

PESHAWAR, May 25, 2011: The annual Shandur Festival 2011 will be held in Chitral from July 7-9.

KPK Minister for Sports Syed Aqil Shah while chairing a meeting of the organizing committees made for managing and organizing the festival here on Wednesday directed the departments concerned to extend complete support to DCO Chitral Rehmatullah.

The meeting was also attended by Provincial Minister for Population Saleem Khan, the DCO Chitral, officials of the tourism, information departments, PIA, representative of the Commandant Chitral Scouts and President Chitral Polo Association Sikandarul Mulk.

District police and Chitral Scouts have been directed to make foolproof security arrangements and take all necessary steps for avoiding any untoward incident. Similarly, the Works and Services Department of Chitral has been directed to ensure maintenance of road from Chitral to Shandur. The Works and Services Department, Public Health Engineering Department Chitral and Town Municipal Officer Mastuj would repair and renovate galleries, toilets, ground walls, huts, stables and water supply system.

Moreover, the health department has been directed to provide all necessary health facilities during the festival days.

Similarly, all dispensaries, rural health centres, basic health units at THQ along the route from Chitral to Shandur will remain on high alert with proper sign and direction boards fixed on the road sides to provide timely healthcare to the visitors in case of any emergency.

Syed Aqil Shah said Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan will be the chief guest at the opening ceremony while Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani will be invited as chief guest on the final day.

He also nominated DCO Chitral as the focal person. He said a request would be made to PIA for special flights from both Islamabad and Peshawar to Chitral from July 5 to July 10 in order to facilitate the local as well as foreign tourists to see the thrilling polo event. He said along with hosting the polo matches a festival will also be organized whereas people would be facilitated to enjoy the thrilling moments.

It was also decided that a special enclosure would be set up for the spectators and guests from Gilgit-Baltistan. It was also decided to increase the prize money from Rs.75000 to Rs.0.1 million for the winner and from Rs.50,000 to Rs.75000 to runner-up while an increase of 15 percent has also been made in the B and C teams as well in order to facilitate the players of polo.

This year, a special entertainment area with the name of joy and wonder land would be set up for children. The representatives of Chitral Scouts assured the meeting that full security measures would be adopted on the occasion.--APP

Monday, May 23, 2011

Breaking the shackles

Report Khalid Parvez

BOONI, May 20, 2011: ‘Frailty thy name is woman’, an olden days refrain from Shakespeare got negated at a book launching ceremony organized by Anjuman Tarqi-e-Khowar, Booni chapter, at Paragon College of Commerce and Management Sciences, when a daughter of Chitral Rahima Naz came up with a romantic collection of free verses and ghazals under the title of “Lala-e-Kohsaar”.

The author, who belongs to a beautiful village of Chitral, Ayun, has become a torch-bearer for the rest of the women in Chitral by knocking the shackles of conservatism prevailed in our society where women are usually considered lesser human beings. The compilation has given a positive image to Chitrali woman folk at a critical juncture when the rate of suicide is on the rise among them in the valley.

The ceremony was presided over by Amin Afzal, President Ismaili Regional Council for upper Chitral, while DCO Rehmatullah Wazir was the chief guest on the occasion. The latter eulogized the people of Chitral for keeping pace with the trends of time and for their love with literary activities.

He quoted verses from the poetic collection of legendary mystic poet Rehman Baba and also recited verses from his own collection. Later, he announced a grant of Rs10,000 for the poetess.

Other speakers on the occasion included Fazlur Rehman, Zafarullah Parwaz, Sarfaraz Ali, Syed Sardar Hussain, who applauded the poetic collection in glorious terms. It would not be an overstatement if we call her “Parveen Shakir” of Chitral, stated another speaker Atta Hussain Athar, a prominent local columnist.

It is pertinent to mention that the poetic collection of Rahima Naz consists of 20 free verses and seven ghazals.

The preface of the book has been written by Brig. Khalid Nazeer and Prof. Shamsun Nazar Fatimi. In view of the hectic efforts of the poetess, Mr. Fazlur Rehman and Amir Afzal extended to her financial assistance of Rs10,000 each as a token of encouragement.

The gathering was also attended by a large number of women. The ceremony concluded on a positive note amidst thundering applause of the participants.



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Sunday, May 15, 2011

Flood victims cry for assistance

Report Waqar Ahmad

CHITRAL, May 15, 2011: Flood-affected people from different parts of Chitral here on Sunday narrated their sufferings and government’s apathy to rehabilitate them despite the passage of almost one year.

Speaking at a press conference, they appealed to the president, prime minister and the governor and chief minister of KP to announce a special package for their rehabilitation on a priority basis.

Those who spoke on the occasion included Rehmat Khan from Yarkhun valley, Mohammad Kabir Shah from Sheshi Koh, Sher Khan from Khorkashan Deh, Chitral; Gulab Khan from Arandu, Noor Hussain from Bumburet, Mir Wali Shah of Shoghor and Jehangir of Jugoor.

They said there were 90 families in the district who were most affected in the devastating floods but none of them had so far been provided any assistance.

They said some of the flood victims had been issued Watan cards but most of them were still deprived of the facility. Even those who have been issued the cards were not been paid the amount.

They said when the flood victims approached NADRA for issuance of the cards, they were told to contact the UBL. However, the UBL authorities told the affected persons that issuance of the Watan cards was the responsibility of NADRA.

The flood victims also said the Saudi government had sent 15 trucks of relief goods to Chitral but the authorities concerned in the district distributed the items among their favourites within the Chitral town.

They asked the government to order an inquiry into delay in provision of relief to the victims. They said flood victims in the remote villages of the valley were suffering a lot as there was no one to inquire after their conditions.



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Thursday, May 12, 2011

Kalash spring festival to begin on 14th

By Our Correspondent

CHITRAL: The Chilim Jusht festival, which heralds the arrival of spring, will commence from May 14 in the three Kalash valleys of Bumburate, Birir and Rumbur.

Of the three Kalash festivals, Chilim Jusht, which lasts for four days, is considered to have prime importance.

Young girls and boys sing and dance in groups in the community halls. Houses are decorated and the Kalash people wear new clothes that are specifically prepared for the occasion.

Kalash men and women are seen shopping for the festival in the Chitral bazaars while in the valleys they are busy in preparing their traditional dresses.

A Kalash community leader Tash Khan told this correspondent that the Kalash girls spent lavishly on purchase of clothes and ornaments.

He said the rising prices of essential commodities had affected the purchasing power of the Kalash community. However, he said a common girl spent up to Rs25,000 on this occasion while the girls from affluent families spent more.

He said the Kalash people used the occasion for ostentation and even went beyond their financial capacity and showed off their wealth by spending more and more on their women.

Employed in a government office, Mr Khan said he had almost spent his monthly salary for the festival.

A main characteristic of the festival is selection of life partner for unmarried boys and girls, who make announcement of their choice on this occasion. According to Kalash sources, more than 60 boys and girls will be announcing their choices during the festival.

Tourists have started arriving here to watch the colourful festival of the Kalash people having unique culture and way of life.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

GB chief minister trying to fray public tempers on Shandur

ISLAMABAD: In what seems to be a calculated move to create rift amongst the people of Chitral and Ghizer districts, the dummy chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, Mr Mehdi Shah, has again indicated that his government will boycott the annual Shandur Festival this year too.

However, the people of Gilgit-Baltistan especially those of Ghizer district have taken exception to Mehdi Shah’s move and said he was trying to gain cheap popularity by playing to the galleries without even considering the repercussion of if in the long run.

The people were of the view that by repeating the mistake of the year 2010, when GB boycotted the festival, the puppet chief minister was strengthening the hands of KP government in consolidating its grip on Shandur. It will also pitch the people f Chitral against their brethren in Gilgit-Baltistan, they said.

It may be noted here that the people of both the Ghizer and Chitral districts have centuries-old cultural, social and economic relations and speak the Khowar language. Under a conspiracy, Ghizer was separated from Chitral’s Mastuj district but even today the masses on both sides of the border feel easy in interacting with each other due to similarities in their culture, language and traditions.

Last year, after the devastating floods, the people of Ghizer and adjoining areas remained cut-off from rest of the country when the Karakoram Highway (KKH) was blocked. But they continued supply of essential commodities through the Chitral-Shandur road. The federal government has also planned to expand the Shandur road and link GB with Peshawar through Chitral as an alternative to the KKH which frequently remains blocked.

It may also be noted that due to the poor policies of the dummy chief minister, the people of Ghizer have already rejected his party, the PPP, in the region and in the recent by-election a nationalist party leader won the seat vacated by Governor Pir Karam Ali Shah.

The people of the region said the chief minister should launch some welfare projects in the area instead of trying to win cheap popularity by pitching the people of Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan against each other.

They said Shandur was not an issue between the people of Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan but some people with vested interest were trying to make a mountain out a molehill which will not succeed in their mission.--In collaboration with Bange Sahar Publications
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Awesome and rugged

Awesome and rugged

Beauty of Chitral

Beauty of Chitral
Kishmanja, a beautiful village in Yarkhun valley

Lush green

Lush green

DIZG: threatened by floods

DIZG: threatened by floods

The legendary village of Ayun in Chitral

The legendary village of Ayun in Chitral
On way to Bumburet

Dizg, Yarkhun

Dizg, Yarkhun

About Me

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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.