Engineers slam hiring of outsiders in Chitral

CHITRAL, Jan 1: Two electrical engineers from Chitral have expressed anguish over the appointment of non-local persons in the hydropower stations based in Chitral and run by Sarhad Hydro Development Organisation (SHYDO). Aftab Ahmed Shah and Mohammad Aslam Baig told reporters on Tuesday the chief minister had announced in Drosh in May last year that no non-local person will be employed in the power stations of Chitral if a local qualified person was available. They said they had passed the written test and interview for the posts of two assistant directors (electrical) for the power houses in Sheshi and Reshun, but the department of energy and power was set to appoint two non-local engineers. The engineers of Chitral said their families had sustained hardships in getting their education completed despite poor financial condition, but now they were finding it hard to get any employment. They said their appointment in the local hydro-power houses was not only consistent with the political slogan ‘Akhpal khawra, akhpal ikhtiar’ of ANP but was also in the best interest of the area. They said in the absence of any qualified engineer, the hydro-power station of Sheshi had been rendered dysfunctional during the very first year of its completion while that of Reshun was also in dilapidated condition.–Dawn]]>