The people of Chitral, a landlocked valley of NWFP have called for opening of the under-construction Lowari Tunnel on temporary basis in the coming winter to enable the people of the district the mean of communication.
A 15-member delegation of Chitral Students Welfare Association and the elites of Chitral led by NWFP Minister for Population Welfare called on Governor Owais Ahmad Ghani in Peshawar and discussed with him various issues relating to Chitral.
The delegation informed the governor that in the past the people of Chitral in the wake of the blockade of Lowari Pass due to heavy snowfall were used to travel via Afghanistan and Mohmand Agency during winter season. But, this year due to the going operation against militants, it will not be possible to travel through Afghanistan and Mohmand Agency.
The delegation demanded that arrangements be made to open the under construction Lowari Tunnel for light traffic on temporary basis during coming winter season. The governor told the delegation that he would contact the federal government and the NHA to open the tunnel for light traffic on temporary basis soon after the excavation work is over.
The delegation demanded that various roads in the valley of Chitral including Chitral Garam Chasma Road, Drosh Arandu Road, Booni Yarkhoom Road, Booni Torkhow Road be expanded and carpeted.
The delegation further told the governor that Chitral was the only safe and feasible route to connect Pakistan with the central Asian countries to which the governor responded that correspondence with concerned quarters to that affect had already been undertaken and hopefully there would soon be a leap forward in this regard.
The delegation proposed to strengthen the Chitral police and Chitral border police so as to keep vigilant eyes on the bordering areas in the district to avoid possible incursion of militants into Chitral. The governor said that Chitral was the most peaceful area of the province and the government would take every possible step to maintain its peaceful environment.
On this occasion, the members of the Chitral Students Association demanded increase in the quota for the students of the district in Khyber Medical College and reservation of at least one seat for Chitrali students in each department of the University of Peshawar and one seat in the Women Medical College.
The governor termed the demand of the students as just and assured them of necessary steps in that regard. The provincial minister invited the governor to visit Chitral, which the governor accepted and assured that he would visit Chitral at the earliest.
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