Chitral-Ishkashem highway - Letter

Different letters have been published in online news regarding Chitral-Ishkashem highway. We shall appreciate the individuals who have started thinking about such an important project. There are alternative routes to link Chitral with Central Asian countries. We shall try our best to convey information to the concerned authorities to conduct feasibility survey and decide the best route.
Our main objective should be to link Chitral with Central Asian countries whether it is through air service or land. Flights and vehicles shall leave from Chitral main town; the people of upper and lower Chitral shall be unbiased keeping in view the bright future of Chitral and its inhabitants and there shall be no leg pulling
Few points shall be considered while suggesting the feasible route.
First distance shall be minimum so that there shall be less time spent in travelling
Route shall be all weather to ensure regular movement
Route shall be safe and secure
One time cost does not matters, main problem is maintenance cost after construction, it is practical experience that in mountainous areas high cost will be incurred at the time of construction but maintenance cost very low.
There are different routes to link Chitral with Central Asian Countries few of them are under:
Broghil side is one option, distance is lengthy, it is soft area initial cost of construction could be the same as other areas; there are no main rocks in the way for tunneling. But the main hurdles are; maintenance cost will be high, travelling time as compared to other sides will be more.
Second option is from Karimabad side, a portion of Trichmir Mountain lies at the boundary of Chtiral and Afghanistan, in the foot of Trichmir there is a large cave that was used to travel between Chitral and Afghanistan before creation of Pakistan for trade purposes. Some people living in Karimabad told that it was about 2 km lengthy cave, dacoits from Afghanistan have used this route to attack on Chitral, for defense point of few this cave was blocked from Chitral side. According to the remarks of the people with little efforts this cave can be reopened, such people can identify the side where the cave starts, jeeb able road has been constructed up to Terichmir, so this is another option. From Chital to Karaimabad and Terichmir distance is only 52 km, after crossing the cave, distance to Tajikistan bourder is 35km.
Third Option is Akram Gole Arkari, now a days people of Arkari use to travel to Afghanistan using this route, total distance from Arkari to Afghanistan takes about one and half day on foot. A gentle men from Siwakht who called Pir has migrated to Afghanistan, his children are now living there, people of Arkari are visiting frequently Afghanistan to meet such individuals, it is a safe side, there is no law and order issue. People of Arkari almost purchasing animals cows and goats from Afghanistan. This route is used for transportation of narcotics opium by Afghan people because there is less restrictions by law enforcing agencies as compared to Broghol and Garumchashma. Distance from Chitral to Oveer Arkari is only 50 km, if this route selected low cost will be incurred in construction and maintenance also. After establishment of proper check posts transportation of narcotics will be controlled.
Forth option is Shah Silim Garumchashma, link road has already been constructed from Garumchashma to Zebak Afghanistan in early nineties, due to defense point of view during Taliban attack on Afghanistan this route was closed. Now there is a need of repair and it would be possible with low repairing cost. The main hurdle is the rock exists at the boarder of Garumchasham and Afghanistan, area is feasible but 3 km tunnel has to be excavated to make it all weather route. The initial cost could be the same or little high as compared to other sides but maintenance cost after construction will be very low. This touches the Badakhsan Province of Afghanistan there is no law and order issue in this province, all people were in Garumchashma and Chtiral during afghan war, they have good relation with Chitralis. This side is most feasible for road construction.
It will take 5-10 years to complete the road if any one of the above sides selected for construction of road, but we shall think about the shortest time period to have linkage between Chitral and Central Asian Countries. The only solution of this issue is air service between Chitral and Khorog Tajikistan. According to the remarks of pilots of Aga Khan Foundation who used to flew from Chitral Air Port to Khorog Air Port the maximum time is 30 minute, which is the shortest time in any international travel.
From Karachi to Khorog there is chartered flight service almost on a weekly basis, a large number of passengers are going to Karachi from NWFP and Punjab to Karachi to avail flight for central Asian countries, with efforts and struggle this route can be changed. If higher authorities contacted and motivated to start flights from Chitral to Khorog even twice a week this could be feasible both for passengers and PIA authorities. From Islamabad to Karachi air ticket is more than Rs. 10,000, but passengers will pay only 3,600 for Islamabad to Chitral flight, further cost from Chitral to Khorog will be less as compared to Karachi to Khorog flight. The existing ATR planes can be used from Chitral to Khorog.
Every Chitrali shall try its best to convey the message to higher authorities, in this regard I would especially request to Shahzada Sirajul Mulk and Fardad Ali Shah who have good relations with the higher authorities to discuss the possibilities with PIA and other government officials. MNA Shahzad Muhaidin and Minister for Population Welfare Salim Khan are also requested to please raise the matter in their respective platforms to initiate flight service between Chtiral to Khorog.

Shamsher Khan
Golimar, Karachi

Four killed by stray dogs in Arandu

CHITRAL: As many as four persons lost their lives after being bitten by stray dogs
within the last three days in Arandu village.
According to Haji Sher Mohammad, Nazim Union Council Arandu, more than one dozen people were also injured. Those who died were Adeena Khan, Izharul Haq, a five-year-old child Malang and Toor Khan.--GH Farooqui

Train through Lowari Tunnel opposed

DAWN

By Zar Alam Khan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chitral chapter leader Fardad Ali Shah has asked the federal government to reconsider laying railway track in the recently-dug Lowari Tunnel.
“The tunnel having the total length of 8.5 kilometres has become a reality for the Chitralis and a milestone in the history of Chitral. The important point now is to rethink as to whether we really need a railway track through the tunnel when all kinds of vehicles are already capable of driving through it,” he said while talking to Dawn.
The NHA and the Korean Sambu Construction Company vehicles are plying comfortably through the tunnel from one end to the other which proves the tunnel is now fit to take in vehicles, he added.
In the first phase of the project, excavation work was completed on January 14, while in the second phase, railway track will be laid through the tunnel at an estimated cost of Rs5 billion.
Mr Shah said even if we overlooked its whooping initial cost, railway service through the tunnel is an avoidable external factor and additional liability with all its associated problems like operating cost, maintenance, mismanagement, breakdowns, etc., besides it will be causing an unnecessary wastage of time in loading/unloading of vehicles on the train at both the ends. Involving a railway system should best be avoided when the tunnel without it is capable of doing the needful, he said.
There are much longer, equally narrow, tunnels in Europe including the 1980-constructed Gothard Tunnel in the Swiss Alps which is 16.3 kilometres long and is a single-lane road tunnel.
In case of the Lowari Tunnel, at most a couple of additional ventilation ducts may be needed to be installed to be used as a regular road tunnel. Giving block timings for up/down traffic can regulate traffic through the tunnel. (The proposed railways system also is a one-way system).
What is more important is to judiciously use Rs5 billion saved by scrapping the railways system.
Mr Shah, a retired wing commander of PAF, said the saved amount could be used to construct a series of hydropower stations in Chitral and provide cheap electricity to the people to uplift their living conditions, protect forests and encourage small cottage industries requiring electricity.
Provision of affordable electricity is a need of the people, second only to the need for an all-weather road. By the grace of Allah, we achieved the all-weather road target, Shah said, adding that now, priority should be given to fulfilling our energy requirement.

Woman commits suicide in Chuinj

MASTUJ: A young woman committed suicide due to domestic problem in Chuinj village on Friday.

The 22-year-old, daughter of Sharif Khan, was reprimanded in the house over some domestic issue after which she went into a room and hanged herself. The girl had passed intermediate exam and was unmarried.

New Zakat chairman for upper Chitral

CHITRAL: A meeting of chairmen local zakat Committees held at Beyar Local Support Organization office in Booni under the chair of District Zakat Chairman Mohammad Ismail elected Abdul Rehman as zakat chairman for upper Chitral.
The participants also discussed various issues and problems of inhabitants of upper Chitral. As there was no chairman nominated for upper Chitral, people had been facing great problems. The meeting suggested different names for the post and later all the members agreed upon the name of Mr Rehman.
On this occasion, the district zakat chairman also distributed cheques among the deserving people of Booni. --GH Farooqui

Gas-fired 320 MW power plant for Pakistan

It is in apropos of a news item that the government will get 320 MW of gas-fired power plant from UAE. Our President himself was present at the time of the handing over ceremony. It shows our President’s personal interest and his government's terms with UAE that in the time of dire need of electricity we have received such a valuable powerhouse which even can be operational with gas-fired. Let’s stop this incident here. First I will quote the example of my own district Chitral. We have three thermal power stations lying inoperative
in the time of severe load shedding period: one is in Tehsil Molkhoh and the other in Mastuj while the third one is in proper Chitral. On asking the reason for these inopearive thermal power houses, the authorities bluntly say that the government doesn’t give us diesel to run the powerhouses. So what about the new gas-fired power plant; will our brotherly UAE govt also give us gas to run it otherwise Wapda never bothers to run such power stations within the country.
Another aspect of this charity we received wrapped into the cover of gift from the UAE Govt is surprising. Why we the people of Pakistan always ask for charities from different countries, sometimes for oil or financial and powerhouse? After all we are the nuclear country. Doesn’t our scientists have any capability to manufacture such kind of powerhouse? Because the Holy Prophet (PBUH) once said, “That the upper hand is better than the lower one”. Is it our fate and destination to ask for aid all the time? It is not the proper time to change our policies toward the aid centre to the self-sufficiency. If our Govt and we try to make some effective reforms we would be in the position to say no to foreign aids forever. It is the universal truth that those nations who look for foreign aids and never rely on their own resources never progress in any field.
So it is now the responsibility of our "popular" Govt to lead the nation towards self-sufficiency and economical independency, while using and relying on our own sources instead of foreign aid.

Bashir Hussain Azad
Chitral.

Chitral receives fresh rain, snowfall

CHITRAL: Heavy Rain and snowfall again lashed Chitral bringing down the temperature and blocking roads in a number of valleys particularly in the upper areas on Wednesday.

The rain started on Wednesday morning and till evening it had intensified in all parts of the district including the Chitral town keeping the residents indoor.

In upper Chitral which was already blanketed in over half a foot snow, the fresh snowfall has blocked many villages creating problems for the people in getting essential commodities especially firewood.

Most of the people in Chitral describe this year’s record rain and snowfall as a blessing coming on the heels of the epoch-making change due to the construction of Lowari Tunnel.