No subsidised wheat: Chitralis threaten to oppose Shandur Polo Festival

CHITRAL: The elders and local political leaders have threatened to block the roads and stop the upcoming Shandur Polo Festival if their demand for provision of wheat on subsidized rate was not accepted.

The announcement was made at a public meeting held at Drosh on Sunday.

Addressing the meeting, former nazim and convener for the Public Movement Maghfirat Shah, Khadija Bibi of Awami National Party, Irshad Mukarr of Awami Jirga, Qari Fazal Haq of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl and others said that federal and provincial governments should provide wheat on subsidised rates like it was provided to Gilgit-Baltistan.

They said Chitral was situated at a strategic location bordering Gilgit-Baltistan and Afghanistan but the successive governments had always ignored this important geostrategic district.

The speakers said that a sense of deprivation prevailed among the people of both districts due to the alleged indifferent attitude of previous and the incumbent rulers.

They voiced concern over the dilapidated condition of roads due to which tourism could not be promoted in the

region despite having a large number scenic places, lakes and mountains.

The indifferent attitude of the government for the last 70 years, they added, had negatively impacted the residents in both the districts.

The speakers threatened to block the road leading to Shandur Polo ground and oppose the holding of upcoming Shandur Polo Festival from July 6 if the government did not announce a comprehensive uplift package for the two districts.