Former MNA and Jamaat-i-Islami leader from district Chitral, Maulana Abdullah Akbar Chitrali made the PPP-led coalition government responsible for delaying the construction work on mega development Lowari Tunnel scheme in district Chitral. He further said that restricting the Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf's visit to district Dir, was reflected failure of the ruling PPP-government in the timely completion of the scheme.
Speaking at a press conference at Peshawar Press Club on Thursday, he said that the development work has been suspended for five and half years due to freezing of funds by the incumbent government, which has inflicted huge financial losses to the national exchequer. He explained that the projected allocation has been exceeded from Rs 12 billion to Rs 26 billion for the project.
He criticised that the PPP government has deceived the Chtiralis by opening phase-II in the Lowari Tunnel scheme by the Federal Minister for Communication, to gain votes for the next general elections. "Chitralis are not betrayed by such political tactics as known better attentions of the incumbent government regarding the development of their area", he maintained.
He viewed the Chitral is most peaceful area of the country, despite that Prime Minister restricting his visit to district Dir, which was totally out of context. He added that the PM didn't pay visit to hide its government failure for not timely completion of mega development Lowari tunnel project.
Former MNA also deplored the Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf for restricting his visit to district Dir and not visiting Chitral district that is populated with 0.6 million. He said the behaviour was a sheer injustice with the people of Chitral. He lamented that funds allocated for the Lowari Tunnel project have been diverted to district Larkana of Sindh province and to the constituency of former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani. He said Chitral isn't hub for PPP-political orphans, as popularity became death with the Lowari Tunnel Project.