Report Zahiruddin
CHITRAL, April 26, 2011: Speakers at a seminar here on Monday asked the society to utilize all social tools to discourage the rising trend of suicide, especially among girls, in Chitral while government should also play its defined role in this connection.
Jointly held by Chitral Press Club and Regional Women Empowerment Project (RWEP) of AKRSP, the theme of the seminar was ‘to ascertain the reasons of suicide among youth and measures to check it’. The members of civil society organizations, religious leaders, academicians and activists of development sector attended the seminar in large number.
The speakers said the frequency of the incidents to commit suicide had gone to a horrendous level in the area and the issue must be tackled on a war footing and the attention of the whole society must be diverted towards it.
They noted that not a single or a few reasons can be cited for the issue but it is multi-faceted and is a complex whole and many factors combine together to lead the young segment of the society to the incidents.
They said many of the young girls commit suicide when they failed to negotiate themselves with the circumstances which are imposed on them against their will because of the prevailing trend that the decision regarding the weaker sex of the society is made by the male.
The speakers also noted that the local society is undergoing the period of transition and the youth folk often find themselves far behind the designated position and this leads them to distortion and deviation from the normal path.
They pointed out the lack of the facilities of psychotherapy in the district headquarters hospital and said that a large number of affected people can be treated and normalize their life routine.
The speakers eulogized the efforts of RWEP for its efforts to ascertain the reasons of suicides in Chitral and raising awareness among the people.
Those who read out their papers included Dr. Inayatullah Faizi, Dr. Gulzar Ahmed, Niaz A Niazi Advocate, Maulana Habibullah and Khateeb Khaliquz Zaman.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
PM promises timely provision of funds for Lowari Tunnel
ISLAMABAD, April 26, 2011: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said that timely completion of Lowari Tunnel project will not only bring great relief for the people of Chitral by reducing distance but also provide them access to other parts of the country in all weathers.
He directed the concerned authorities for timely provision of funds for the Lowari Tunnel project so that this project of national importance could be completed soon.
The Prime Minister was talking to Shahzada Mohiuddin, MNA, who called on him here at his Parliament House Chamber on Monday evening.
The Prime Minister said projects like provision of clean drinking water for the masses, the sewerage system, and the basic health facilities have been undertaken by the government in collaboration with NGOs for the welfare of the people of Chitral.
Shahzada Mohiuddin thanked the Prime Minister for his personal interest for the uplift of the area.
He informed the Prime Minister about the ongoing development projects in his area. He also apprised about various problems being faced by the people in Chitral.--APP
Meanwhile, talking to chitraltoday.com here, the MNA said some people, especially the Jamaat-i-Islami Chitral representatives have started propaganda about diversion of Lowari Tunnel funds to Multan and Larkana and were creating confusion among the people of Chitral for their vested interest. He claimed that work on the project was continuing and the project would be completed on time.
He said the prime minister had also promised to release the Rs300 million he had promised to each of the seven PML-Q MNAs, including himself, who were supporting the PPP government.
He directed the concerned authorities for timely provision of funds for the Lowari Tunnel project so that this project of national importance could be completed soon.
The Prime Minister was talking to Shahzada Mohiuddin, MNA, who called on him here at his Parliament House Chamber on Monday evening.
The Prime Minister said projects like provision of clean drinking water for the masses, the sewerage system, and the basic health facilities have been undertaken by the government in collaboration with NGOs for the welfare of the people of Chitral.
Shahzada Mohiuddin thanked the Prime Minister for his personal interest for the uplift of the area.
He informed the Prime Minister about the ongoing development projects in his area. He also apprised about various problems being faced by the people in Chitral.--APP
Meanwhile, talking to chitraltoday.com here, the MNA said some people, especially the Jamaat-i-Islami Chitral representatives have started propaganda about diversion of Lowari Tunnel funds to Multan and Larkana and were creating confusion among the people of Chitral for their vested interest. He claimed that work on the project was continuing and the project would be completed on time.
He said the prime minister had also promised to release the Rs300 million he had promised to each of the seven PML-Q MNAs, including himself, who were supporting the PPP government.
Chitral’s immense hydel potential
Basic essential requirements for producing hydel energy are water plus fall. The higher the fall the more the water, the higher the energy produced. In a mountainous terrain like Chitral with plenty of fast flowing waters, higher and higher falls can be derived by building gravity flow channels.
The same formula applied in the plains would require building huge dams at tremendous costs then these dams getting silted up in due course of time. Where Chitral is concerned a safe estimate is that at least twenty large hydel projects if not many many more can be set up on falls from gravity flow channels from the mini rivers of the side valleys.
Similarly, several small dams can be built at a number of special sites on the main river wherever the very narrow gorges make such dams feasible, producing as much energy as large ones in the plains. Unlike the dams in the plains the collection of water in these dams would hardly submerge any cultivable lands. Thus according to this claims of this scribe the immense hydel potential of Chitral has a capacity to provide energy to the whole of Pakistan and Afganistan if not more.
Even if one calls it a day dream what harm by one more vision with so many aspirations gone bitter, stinking and becoming unpalatable. so while hoping against hope one is reminded by one of Allama Iqbal’s verses Nawaayae aafereen seenayae khaesh, bahaarae nee tuwaan kardan kharaan raa...... so half a century of our precious by gone life demands that the long neglected development of Chitral be handed over to WB for the next fifty years.
Development plan should among others also include highways to central Asia over the Durah and Boroghil passes and development of Kagh Lasht as an international airport, a modern university with foreign scholarships and a full fledged hospital in Chitral proper. With Chitral’s immense hydel potential and its iron and other mineral ores there is a fare chance of not one poor family remaining in Chitral.
The British had introduced electricity in Chitral on a small scale when there were no hydro electricity in many areas of the frontier province. One sikh, Ram singh was the head operator.
Again Lowari is no enigma with what wonders science and technology have produced and developed during the last one and half century.'' Sitarrown sea aagae jehaan our bhi hean''. so why on earth should the lowari be such a perplexing and bedevilling problem? Decades ago during the 1970 elections and through the papers this scribe ad advocated the idea of a cable car way over the lowari. When the mode is in existence else here, and even in Pakistan then for the Quid’s and Islamabad,s sake why not a cable car way over the Lowari? No! The fault dear Qashqaries is not in our stars, the flaw is definitely more so in you and me and in our cuisses and Brutus's.
KA Mulk
Chitral (April 26, 2011).
The same formula applied in the plains would require building huge dams at tremendous costs then these dams getting silted up in due course of time. Where Chitral is concerned a safe estimate is that at least twenty large hydel projects if not many many more can be set up on falls from gravity flow channels from the mini rivers of the side valleys.
Similarly, several small dams can be built at a number of special sites on the main river wherever the very narrow gorges make such dams feasible, producing as much energy as large ones in the plains. Unlike the dams in the plains the collection of water in these dams would hardly submerge any cultivable lands. Thus according to this claims of this scribe the immense hydel potential of Chitral has a capacity to provide energy to the whole of Pakistan and Afganistan if not more.
Even if one calls it a day dream what harm by one more vision with so many aspirations gone bitter, stinking and becoming unpalatable. so while hoping against hope one is reminded by one of Allama Iqbal’s verses Nawaayae aafereen seenayae khaesh, bahaarae nee tuwaan kardan kharaan raa...... so half a century of our precious by gone life demands that the long neglected development of Chitral be handed over to WB for the next fifty years.
Development plan should among others also include highways to central Asia over the Durah and Boroghil passes and development of Kagh Lasht as an international airport, a modern university with foreign scholarships and a full fledged hospital in Chitral proper. With Chitral’s immense hydel potential and its iron and other mineral ores there is a fare chance of not one poor family remaining in Chitral.
The British had introduced electricity in Chitral on a small scale when there were no hydro electricity in many areas of the frontier province. One sikh, Ram singh was the head operator.
Again Lowari is no enigma with what wonders science and technology have produced and developed during the last one and half century.'' Sitarrown sea aagae jehaan our bhi hean''. so why on earth should the lowari be such a perplexing and bedevilling problem? Decades ago during the 1970 elections and through the papers this scribe ad advocated the idea of a cable car way over the lowari. When the mode is in existence else here, and even in Pakistan then for the Quid’s and Islamabad,s sake why not a cable car way over the Lowari? No! The fault dear Qashqaries is not in our stars, the flaw is definitely more so in you and me and in our cuisses and Brutus's.
KA Mulk
Chitral (April 26, 2011).
Thursday, April 21, 2011
'Chitralis' hospitality impressed Markhor hunters'
PESHAWAR, April 21, 2011: Foreigners from US and Russia hunted three Markhors – two in Chitral and one in Kohistan - and returned to their homelands carrying along the attractive trophies and good memories of hospitality of the local people.
“One of the three hunters was an octogenarian,” said Chief Conservator Wildlife Department Saeeduz Zaman Siddique.
The chief conservator said the expedition of these foreign hunters was very successful from all aspects and they returned home much satisfied with the hospitality and friendly behaviour of people of the areas.
“We were concerned about the safety and security of foreign hunters and fortunately nothing untoward happened during their stay,” he said and added in fact the attitude of locals with the visiting hunters was very cordial and encouraging.
Giving details about hunting scheme, Saeeduz Zaman said government had allowed hunting of limited number of Markhors and Ibex under the Trophy Hunting Program.
The program was aimed at protection of the endangered animals through involvement of communities and fund raising.
In the trophy hunting scheme, communities are being involved in conservation of wildlife and revenue generation by sale of hunting permits of protected animals and the amount is mostly spent on development of involved communities.
This year, he said, the Wildlife department earned 215,500 dollars through sale of three permits of Markhor hunting. During the current game, two animals were hunted in Chitral and one in Kohistan.
In Chitral, Mr. Te Pavel of Russian and Mr. John Joseph Lo Monaco of US brought down the animals in Toshi Sha Sha Markhor Conservancy and paid dollars 80,500 each.
He said Joseph Alian Smith hunted the animal in Kaigah game reserve, Kohistan, and paid dollars 55,000.--APP
“One of the three hunters was an octogenarian,” said Chief Conservator Wildlife Department Saeeduz Zaman Siddique.
The chief conservator said the expedition of these foreign hunters was very successful from all aspects and they returned home much satisfied with the hospitality and friendly behaviour of people of the areas.
“We were concerned about the safety and security of foreign hunters and fortunately nothing untoward happened during their stay,” he said and added in fact the attitude of locals with the visiting hunters was very cordial and encouraging.
Giving details about hunting scheme, Saeeduz Zaman said government had allowed hunting of limited number of Markhors and Ibex under the Trophy Hunting Program.
The program was aimed at protection of the endangered animals through involvement of communities and fund raising.
In the trophy hunting scheme, communities are being involved in conservation of wildlife and revenue generation by sale of hunting permits of protected animals and the amount is mostly spent on development of involved communities.
This year, he said, the Wildlife department earned 215,500 dollars through sale of three permits of Markhor hunting. During the current game, two animals were hunted in Chitral and one in Kohistan.
In Chitral, Mr. Te Pavel of Russian and Mr. John Joseph Lo Monaco of US brought down the animals in Toshi Sha Sha Markhor Conservancy and paid dollars 80,500 each.
He said Joseph Alian Smith hunted the animal in Kaigah game reserve, Kohistan, and paid dollars 55,000.--APP
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Call to retrieve state land in Chitral
Chitral Today Report
CHITRAL, April 19, 2011: Mr. Shahzada Ibarhim Pirzada, the chairperson of NCCB monitoring cell for Chitral/Gilgit-Baltistan and member of Transparency International, has said some of the local politicians in the past had handed over state land in the valley to their relatives and cronies and created problems for the government as well as the communities.
In a statement, he said these people had been charged a reason amount against the land and also made a good voter for the time being.
He said the local communities had been using these lands for grazing animals and collecting firewood for their livelihood. Now a great vacuum has been created between the government department concerned and the local communities. He said the government in Chitral already lacked state property.
Mr. Shahzada said the district government’s department concerned should take stern action against such politicians who used the government property for their own benefit otherwise the NCCB would file a case against them with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Islamabad.
CHITRAL, April 19, 2011: Mr. Shahzada Ibarhim Pirzada, the chairperson of NCCB monitoring cell for Chitral/Gilgit-Baltistan and member of Transparency International, has said some of the local politicians in the past had handed over state land in the valley to their relatives and cronies and created problems for the government as well as the communities.
In a statement, he said these people had been charged a reason amount against the land and also made a good voter for the time being.
He said the local communities had been using these lands for grazing animals and collecting firewood for their livelihood. Now a great vacuum has been created between the government department concerned and the local communities. He said the government in Chitral already lacked state property.
Mr. Shahzada said the district government’s department concerned should take stern action against such politicians who used the government property for their own benefit otherwise the NCCB would file a case against them with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Islamabad.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Qaqlasht Festival final draws crowds
CHITRAL, April 18, 2011: The four-day Qaqlasht festival witnessed a great rush of spectators from all parts of the district on its final day on Monday and people, including women and children, enjoyed the folk sports of shooting, falconry, tug-of-war and traditional football (bampu ghal).
Haider Wali Haideri, who has been associated with organizing the festival for the last 21 years, told this correspondent that this year the response of people was unprecedented.
In the competitions held on village level, Booni town emerged winner by grabbing cricket, tug-of-war, bampu ghall and mountain race titles.
Morder village clinched football cup; Faizur Rahman Laal and companions of Kosht village won target shooting competition; and Hayat Shah of Torkhow was declared the winner of falconry. Chitral Scouts lifted the volleyball trophy.
The final of polo match between Booni and Kosht could not be held for shortage of time and would be played next week.
District development advisory committee chairman Ghulam Mohammad, who was the chief guest at the concluding ceremony, gave away prizes to the winning teams and players.
On this occasion, Mr Ghulam praised the Tourism Corporation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for sponsoring the Kagh Lusht festival and said that the tourism potential of upper Chitral needed to be exploited to end unemployment and poverty in the area.
He said that many areas of the tourist resort still needed to be discovered and developed to attract tourists.
“We have a large number of picnic spots and many unique and interesting things to offer to the tourists, but serious work is still needed to be done to develop the tourism sector,” he said.--Zahiruddin
Haider Wali Haideri, who has been associated with organizing the festival for the last 21 years, told this correspondent that this year the response of people was unprecedented.
In the competitions held on village level, Booni town emerged winner by grabbing cricket, tug-of-war, bampu ghall and mountain race titles.
Morder village clinched football cup; Faizur Rahman Laal and companions of Kosht village won target shooting competition; and Hayat Shah of Torkhow was declared the winner of falconry. Chitral Scouts lifted the volleyball trophy.
The final of polo match between Booni and Kosht could not be held for shortage of time and would be played next week.
District development advisory committee chairman Ghulam Mohammad, who was the chief guest at the concluding ceremony, gave away prizes to the winning teams and players.
On this occasion, Mr Ghulam praised the Tourism Corporation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for sponsoring the Kagh Lusht festival and said that the tourism potential of upper Chitral needed to be exploited to end unemployment and poverty in the area.
He said that many areas of the tourist resort still needed to be discovered and developed to attract tourists.
“We have a large number of picnic spots and many unique and interesting things to offer to the tourists, but serious work is still needed to be done to develop the tourism sector,” he said.--Zahiruddin
Monday, April 18, 2011
Upper Chitral farmers in hot water
CHITRAL, April 17, 2011: Farmers will not be able to carry out wheat cultivation in the flood-hit areas of Chitral this season due to exorbitant prices of wheat seed, fertilizer, pesticides and charges of tractors.
Talking to this correspondent here on Sunday, a number of farmers from upper Chitral said they had lost their standing crop of wheat to the torrential rain in July last year due to which they had suffered a lot.
They said almost 100 per cent farmers grew wheat for household consumption and providing fodder to animals in the form of chaff.
Former general councillor Samiul Haq said despite tall claims of the government and different NGOs, they did not receive any aid to be able to cultivate wheat for the season.
Riaz Ali, organizer of an NGO, said due to rampant poverty in the area even families with moderate income could hardly make both ends meet.--Zahiruddin
Talking to this correspondent here on Sunday, a number of farmers from upper Chitral said they had lost their standing crop of wheat to the torrential rain in July last year due to which they had suffered a lot.
They said almost 100 per cent farmers grew wheat for household consumption and providing fodder to animals in the form of chaff.
Former general councillor Samiul Haq said despite tall claims of the government and different NGOs, they did not receive any aid to be able to cultivate wheat for the season.
Riaz Ali, organizer of an NGO, said due to rampant poverty in the area even families with moderate income could hardly make both ends meet.--Zahiruddin
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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.