Mounting pressure: Former MNA demands rights for Chitral

Demands Rs16 billion for the restoration of power plants should be released immediately

PESHAWAR: Former MNA and central Majlis-e-Shura member of Jamaat-e-Islami Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali presented the charter of demands of the citizens of Chitral and expressed his dissatisfaction over government policy to rehabilitate people suffering from floods and earthquakes.

While speaking to a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Thursday, Akbar said floods and earthquakes destroyed many small power plants.

He said Rs16 billion for the restoration of power plants and Rs10 billion for the restoration of small power units should be released immediately.

Akbar added, during the tenure of previous government, it was announced that District Headquarters Hospital Chitral would be awarded with category ‘B’ status. However, he said, despite the passage of ten years, the plan has not yet been implemented. He demanded laboratories, X-Ray and ultrasound machines be made functional and uninterrupted power supply be provided to the facility.

Akbar said people of Chitral were extremely poor so the royalty on the area’s forests should be increased from 60% to 80%. He demanded the government should start the four-year Bachelor’s course in colleges for women. He also demanded funds allocated for a university in Chitral should be raised from Rs80 million to Rs100 million.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 2^nd, 2016.