Shandur ownership: Armed clash feared between people of Chitral, G-B

Ghizer district admin has sent people to build check post

CHITRAL: The fear of a clash has erupted as the Ghizer district administration has sent thousands of workers to build a check post to forcibly occupy the land of Shandur. On the other hand, residents of Chitral have condemned the act by the Gilgit-Baltistan government.

Therefore, thousands of armed people from Laspur, Chitral started marching towards Shandur, Chitral district nazim Maghfirat Shah told The Express Tribune on Sunday.

“In case of loss of life over the issue, the Ghizer authority and K-P government would be responsible as they are delaying in solving the ownership issue,” Shah said.

He added that in 1914 Gilgit’s ruler, Murad Khan, participated as a guest in event of the tournament in Shandur, Chitral. “Players from G-B [have been going as participants].”

But, he added, nobody has been allowed to build a post around or any other building in the area, except with the consent of Laspur village people and the Chitral district administration.

“In a high-level meeting, both the parties agreed to play the game that will be hosted by Chitral, while players from G-B will be facilitated,” a professor and an elder of a jirga, Dr Inayatullah Fazi said. “A memorandum of understanding [on the matter] was signed by lawmakers, including Syed Sardar Hussain and Bibi Noor, without the consent of locals.”

It has been said that since a long time, Chitral has been handling affairs of Shandur. The first residential bungalow in the area was constructed in 1927 by the then prince of Chitral, Shujaul Mulk. The first person to stay there was an English assistant political agent, of Gilgit, who also played the first-ever polo tournament.

However, since 2010 the Chitral district administration and G-B government have started a dispute over the ownership of the land.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 25^th, 2016.