Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Minister for Population, Saleem Khan, has termed the performance of THRIVE, a Norwegian government funded programme working in social sector in district Chitral, as unsatisfactory. He was talking to delegation of Chitral Development Network (CDN), a local development organisation, which called on him here in his office the other day and discussed the matters related to the development of Chitral and problems faced by the people.
The delegation led by the general secretary of CDN, Zahid Ahmad comprised Mubarak Hussein, Miraj Alam, Nasir Ahmad, Mohammad Zia, Mohammad Ilyas, Taimur Shah and others.
He urged the management of the programme to ensure the utilisation of the fund on need basis and in consultation with the people of Chitral rather to use it according to its personal liking and disliking so the maximum benefit can go to the general public adding that being a an elected public representative of the area he would never allow anybody to misuse the fund as it is being received in the name of the public of Chitral.
The delegation severely criticised the criteria of THRIVE in the utilisation and distribution of the fund and said that the criteria was based only the sweet will of the managing director Azar Ayaz.
The managing director is using the fund according to his personal liking and disliking and totally neglecting the community, registered local organisations and elected public representatives in utilising the fund, which has enraged the people of Chitral, they informed the minister adding that this state of affairs can any time lead to law and order problem in the area.
The delegation demanded of the minister to take immediate steps to formulate criteria for the utilisation and distribution of the fund in consultation with all the stakeholders. Saleem khan said that he had already been receiving complaints against the overall performance of the programme, and specially the attitude of the managing director towards the public.
He assured the delegation that he would ask the DCO Chitral to submit a detailed report about the overall performance of THRIVE, and after receiving the same he would call a meeting of the authorities of the concerned provincial department, the DCO Chitral the representatives of the community and the high ups of THRIVE to formulate an agreed and fair criteria for the utilisation of the fund.