Freezing of Chitral's uplift funds criticised

DAWN

By Zar Alam Khan

ISLAMABAD, Sept 20: Work on about 135 development projects launched under the Khushhal Pakistan Programme (KPP) in the Chitral district remain suspended as the PPP-led coalition government has frozen the funds for the schemes after coming to power.

Residents of the valley told Dawn that on the initiative of former PML-Q leader Shahzada Mohiuddin, the previous government had sanctioned Rs102 million under the KPP for launching small-scale development schemes in the poverty-stricken valley through the Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP).

They said the local communities had 20 per cent shares in the projects. Work on many of the projects was completed while some were near completion when the term of the PML-Q government ended. By the time the February 18 general elections were held the PML-Q government had released Rs40.56 million to the SRSP for the projects, they added.

However, they added, the PPP soon after coming to power decided to freeze the funds. The communities involved in the projects started visiting the SRSP office in Chitral demanding release of the remaining about Rs62 million but to no avail. They said the situation had created frustration in the district as the residents had been expecting augmented development activities in the area with the formation of the PPP government.

When contacted, Mr Mohiuddin, who was elected MNA from the district in the February 18 elections and later decided to join the PPP, said he was under immense pressure from the public as well as his rivals as work on the projects initiated almost in all parts of the district could not be resumed even over six months after formation of the new government. He said his rivals were raising fingers at him, holding him responsible for freezing of the funds. He said they were also threatening to hold protest demonstrations and moving courts against the delay in release of the funds.

Residents of the area regretted that despite the MNA’s decision to support the new government and later join the PPP, the government had not only failed to announce a development package for the backward district but also frozen the already announced funds.

The MNA said if the government failed to release the funds on a priority basis its credibility in Chitral, once a PPP stronghold, would further erode. He said community representatives and the SRSP were also planning to move courts against freezing of the funds, adding: “they would definitely win the case because the projects had been launched under an agreement signed by the KPP, SRSP and the local communities.”