Chitralis protest for demands’ acceptance

PESHAWAR: The protest sit-in of the people of Chitral against the apathy of the successive rulers towards the two districts of Lower and Upper Chitral continued for the ninth consecutive day on Saturday despite the biting cold.

The sit-in was organised by the Tehreek Tahafuz Haqooq-i-Chitral outside the Peshawar Press Club.

Pir Mukhtar, the head of the Tehreek and known social activist, said that they had extended the protest to Islamabad as well. Besides Peshawar, he said, they had been holding a sit-in outside the National Press Club in Islamabad for the last two days.

He said that the people of Chitral were peace-loving but the area had been ignored by the successive rulers. “It seems as if we are being punished for being peaceful and patriotic,” he said, adding that funds meant for Chitral were being shifted to Swat, Dera Ismail Khan and elsewhere in the country.

Pir Mukhtar said that there was no electricity in the two districts and the roads were in a dilapidated condition.

The social activist also questioned the so-called joint mining policy of the provincial government. “We will not allow the

capturing of our resources by others. Only the people of Chitral have the right over their resources,”

he added.

“We are apolitical. It is the protest of Chitralis irrespective of political affiliations,” Pir Mukhtar said, adding they would continue their struggle to highlight the

genuine issues facing the people of the area.

The participants in the sit-in blasted the previous government for ignoring Chitral. “A small portion of the approach road of the Lowari Tunnel could not be built in the last four years,” said a protester.

He added that the blacktopped Chitral-Shandur Road till Booni had been turned into potholes by the NHA-hired contractors.

In Peshawar, Governor Ghulam Ali and other dignitaries also visited the sit-in camp and assured support to solve issues confronting the people of Chitral.