CHITRAL, Feb 15: The valley of Laspur was connected with the rest of the world through the wireless phone network on February 14. The Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) worked on the project in collaboration with the Shandur Area Development, Conservation and Welfare Organization (SADCWO) for two years. A 110-foot-high tower was constructed at the elevation of 11,000 feet above sea level in Balim. The local community carried out the project on a self-help basis. This was a replicable mode of participatory approach in development. The community donated land, constructed link road and provided electricity from their mini-hydel powerhouse to the tower. The V phone tower of PTCL in Shandur valley Laspur-Balim will provide connectivity to 15,000 population and a large number of tourists will also benefit from it.
The manpower from Shandur Valley is currently working in different parts of the country and abroad. They are employed in Pak Army, military police, industrial and commercial unites in different parts of the country. The community leaders have appreciated the key role of ex-Tehsil Nazim Chitral Sartaj Ahmad Khan in bridging the gap between the community and PTCL high-ups. Volunteers of Shandur Area Development, Conservation (SADCWO) Mohammad Younus, Mirza Hussain Shah Khan Quraishi, Zulfi Hunar Shah, Aslam Khan and Mohammad Rafi lauded the services of GM PTCL Mr. Wajih Anwar and Engineer Jalal Aslam for their high interest in the scheme. They also thanked Sartaj Ahmad Khan for his continuous support to the scheme.
