Over 3,000 attend Mehtar’s coronation ceremony

Report Waqar Ahmad 

CHITRAL, May 25: The people of Chitral added a new chapter to the history of the valley when they attended a colourful ceremony held at the historical Chitral Fort in connection with the crowning of the new Mehtar Shahzada Fatehul Mulk Ali Nasir on Thursday.

Raja Jalaluddin of Yasen and current Chief Justice of Gigit-Baltistan High Court and Salahuddin Sayed, Nawab of Amb, also attended the ceremony and facilitated the Mehtar on behalf of their people. Haji Hidayatullah, Minister for Livestock and Dairy Products, represented the provincial government.

Earlier, Shahzada Muhiuddin, Dr Inayatullah Faizi, Maula Nigah, retired bureaucrat Islamuddin, Sahib Nadir Advocate, Siffat Zarin and Sardar Agha congratulated the Mehtar and expressed their symbolic allegiance from their respective clans and area people. Later, a musical party was arranged at the lawn of the fort where artists from across the district performed.

Shahzada Fatehul Mulk Ali Nasir, the eldest son of the deceased Mehtar of Chitral Saiful Mulk Nasir, received his LLB (Hons) degree from University of Bukingam UK and LLM from University of Miami, USA. He belongs to the famous Katoor family which ruled Chitral from 1595 to 1969 when the state status of Chitral was abolished by the then military ruler Gen Yahya Khan.

Although after the abolishment of state status of Chitral, the Mehtar has lost all his administrative, legislative and judicial powers but like British people Chitralis hold their traditions in high esteem and it was explicitly demonstrated by them in the coronation ceremony. Like British Monarch, the Mehtar can use the institution to bring about harmony and unity among Chitralis who belong to a diverse social and sectarian background.

If he worked hard honestly for the prosperity and betterment of the people, he would always find Chitali people at his back and call. Would the young and highly educated Mehtar of Chitral be able to transform the dreams of Chitralis into reality by becoming the true custodian of glorious Chitrali culture and making Chitral a model district of Pakistan? We wish and pray that he succeeds in his mission.