Scarcity of essentials in Chitral feared
The News : Thursday, December 25, 2008
Our correspondent
CHITRAL: Former member of the provincial assembly member and leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl Maulana Jehangir on Wednesday blasted the government for not making proper arrangements to airlift the stranded Chitralis.
Addressing a press conference here, he said: “Hundreds of people have been stranded in Chitral and Peshawar but the government and the elected representatives have failed to make proper arrangements to airlift them.”
The JUI-F leader said the Chitralis were facing immense hardship, as there was no alternative arrangement in sight after the Lowari Top closure. He said the area was fast running short of essential items. Food items, fuel, sugar and other essentials in the area might be available for a week and then there would be acute scarcity of the commodities, he added.
Maulana Jehangir urged the federal and provincial governments to impress upon the authorities in Kabul to open Kunar-Arundao Pass to facilitate the Chitralis. He demanded the government to reduce the airfare for the under-developed people of Chitral besides increasing the PIA flights to the area. He also demanded of the government to ban the trees cutting forthwith as forest were fast depleting due to the timber mafia in Chitral.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Mega projects in Chitral soon
The News : Thursday, December 25, 2008
By By our correspondent
CHITRAL: The government will launch two mega projects to improve lifestyle of local people, especially womenfolk, stated Chitral Tehsil Nazim Sartaj Ahmad Khan here on Wednesday.
Briefing local journalists at his office, Sartaj Khan said a marble handicraft training centre would be set up to promote mosaic and handicraft sector. The centre would also provide livelihood opportunities to womenfolk, he said.
A management board comprising representatives of Small & Medium Enterprise Development Authority and the All Pakistan Marble Industries Association would maintain the centre. A marble mining and processing unit, a joint venture of local and foreign investors, would also be set up in Chitral at the total cost of Rs 275 million, Sartaj said, adding that the project would be completed in two years.
