Public library still a far cry in Chitral

Report Zahiruddin, Chitral


Due to unavailability of land, the scheme of construction of a public library in the city was shifted to some other area, sources claimed here on Wednesday.

The provincial Department of Archives And Library had included it in the development plan during the last days of the former MMA government in the NWFP. The district government had to provide a piece of land, free of cost, as no provision was there for purchasing land.

According to the sources, the library department had approached the district nazim Chitral who requested to the revenue department to provide a piece of land near the DCO offices but it was reportedly turned down by the authorities without any reason.

“The district government failed to provide land to the department and the project was shelved or shifted to some other district where land was made available,” a source said.

The proposed library was designed on modern lines providing maximum facilities to students, children, women and general public having separate sections. The proposed multi-storied and magnificent proposed building of the library had also the facilities of computers and internet, the sources said.

Meanwhile, residents of Chitral have expressed anguish over the reported shelving of the project and said that the city had no public library which was a great dilemma for knowledge seekers.

They said that the facility was the longstanding demand of locals particularly students and the previous government had fulfilled the dream. They said that the state-owned land in front of the newly constructed Women Hospital should be provided for the purpose while the adjacent residential quarters of the British era, which were in ramshackle condition, must also be used for the proposed library.