People of Chitral voted for Lowari tunnel, says MNA-elect

ISLAMABAD, May 26: MNA-elect from Chitral Shahzada Iftikharuddin on Saturday night said the people of Chitral voted the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) of former president Pervez Musharraf for launching the mega project of Lowari tunnel. In a PTV late night program, he said people of his area remained cut-off for almost five months every year and the construction of the tunnel had provided the area an all-weather route connecting the the people with the rest of the country round the year. He said the former president had asked the MPA-elect of the party to support the PTI government in the KPK while he would be supporting the federal government if it took any decision in the interest of the country. Iftikharuddin said that vast opportunities of development existed in Chitral and 8,000 to 12,000 megawatts of electricity can be generated in the valley to resolve the energy crisis of the whole country. He said Chitral’s situation was unique in the sense that there was no issue to hinder the launching of any development project. He gave the example of Gilgit-Baltistan where construction of mega dams like the Diamer dam had hit snags after international donor agencies refused to provide funds terming it a disputed region. In reply to a question, the MNA-elect from Chitral said he was not aware if Musharraf had been given a green signal to leave the country. He said after clearing the cases pending against him, he can go anywhere out of the country or within Pakistan. Prominent columnist Ayaz Amir, PML-N’s MNA-elect from Islamabad Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Dr Humayun of the PTI were other invitees of the program. Ayaz Amir on the occasion said irrespective of who started work on the Lowari tunnel, the incoming PML-N government should provide funds for the completion of the project because it was not only in the interest of for Chitral but whole the country.]]>