Allegation of discrimination in royalty distribution in Chitral rejected

CHITRAL: The residents on Thursday rejected the allegations of discrimination in the distribution of royalty money and termed it a bid to create division and distrust among the locals. Speaking at a press conference here, Mufti Burhanuddin, Sher Dula Khan, Samad Khan, Rahmat Karim, Abdul Sattar and others, all residents of Kalas Shashi Koh, termed the allegations as untrue.

They said some ‘trouble makers’ were raising the issue to pit the people against each other by spreading misinformation about the distribution of royalty money. The residents said the distribution formula was agreed in 1982 and the money was being distributed among the residents as per their share in the funds since then.

They said neither any one ever questioned the process nor any beneficiary complained about any anomaly in the process in past 26 years or so. The residents opposed the change in distribution of the royalty money, saying the JFMC was looking after the royalty distribution process. They said that change in the procedure would complicate the royalty distribution process, which was in no one’s favour.