CHITRAL: Expressing concern over the closure of work on the Chitral-Shandur Road, civil society members and organisations on Friday urged the government to take notice of the issue.
“This artery is important not only for the development of the districts but also the Gilgit-Baltistan in terms of tourism,” Waqar Ahmad Advocate of the Chitral Development Movement, told reporters. He said the already paved road from Chitral to Booni had been uprooted and the work on the project stopped, multiplying the agony of the dwellers of the two districts. He said the National Highway Authority (NHA) officials were least interested in the execution of the project in the proper way as the contractors concerned were working in a haphazard manner.
“We were happy after the government imitated work on the project a few months back. However, the contractors concerned have stopped work apparently due to non-availability of funds,” he added.
Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) leader and senior lawyer Abdul Wali Khan termed the closure of work on the project as unfortunate. He said the local representatives must raise the issue at proper forums. “The NHA officials concerned must make it clear why work on such an important project has been stopped,” he said.Abdul Wali Khan urged the federal government to complete the vital project according to the vision of PMLN chief Nawaz Sharif.