Shandur part of KP, say PTI leaders

CHITRAL: The local leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday said that some elements were blowing the dispute between the Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral over the Handarab Shandur National Park out of proportion in a bid to take political mileage.

“The people of Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral are tied in a strong bond of religion, culture, history and traditions and the bid by unscrupulous elements will never succeed to drive a wedge between them,” PTI leaders including deputy secretary-general Malakand Division Muhammad Israr Saboor, former vice-chancellor Muhammad Sher, former nazim Sartaj Ahmad Khan, Ziaur Rahman, Aminur Rahman, Nisar Dastagir and others told a press conference here.

They said that Shandur was part of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the PTI Chitral would not make any compromise on this issue.

They dispelled the rumours about the Handarab Shandur National Park and said that certain politicians were defaming the PTI-led provincial and federal governments, which would not be allowed at any cost. The PTI leaders said that they were with people of Laspur and their interests would be safeguarded all costs.

“It is pure luck and brilliant strategic management that has now landed Chitral and Shandur with the opportunity to progress further via means of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project,” Sartaj Ahmad khan said.