CHITRAL, Aug 19: The leaders of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F) and Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Chitral have demanded the government annul the contract of micro-hydropower projects awarded to the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) saying the organization was controversial and not acceptable to the local people. Addressing a joint press conference here on Tuesday, Qari Abdur Rahman Qureshi and Maulana Abdul Shakoor of JUI and Qari Jamshed Ahmed and Maulana Israr of JI said that the award of contract for the construction of 55 small and micro-hydel power stations was highly questioned by the people of Chitral. They said that AKRSP was established in 1982 but it was still not accepted in majority areas of the district and the awarding of contract of the power stations by the provincial government had filled them with apprehensions. The leaders of the religio-political parties, however, demanded that if it was not possible to cancel the contract as a whole, the contracts of the power projects where AKRSP had no acceptance should be given to some other organizations or construction companies.–Zahiruddin]]>
Topic of discussion has been diverted from AKRSP acceptance for construction of power houses to Katoor and Zondray families working in RSPs which is not based on reality. We humbly request to religious parties not to sabotage the golden opportunity which will resolve the chaotic electricity problem in the area. In the past they have used such tactics which seriously disturbed development initiatives and our district remained under developed up to high extent. We have already missed numerous opportunities in the past and this one should be realized without any opposition.
The message given by Inayatullah Aseer Sb is very clear and based on fact, this is not a religious issue, if PPAF is giving projects through government agencies i.e. PWD, C&W, local government etc. then it is acceptable for all religious parties, if it is given to AKRSP it is un-Islamic, I don’t understand this philosophy and interpretation of Halal and Haram. Do we want the finance should be given to above government institutions and the result should be like Chitral bypass road and Booni Mastuj road? May I ask, is it Ismalic? those people (majority of them are Chitrali) who are involved in the embezzlement of fund, are Muslims? it is the teaching of Quran and Islam? if not what should be the role of civil society and religious leader to deal with such people? has any religious leader condemned it?
I would request to Dr. Khalil Sb. to please visit the far-flung areas of Chitral i.e. upper Chitral, Garumshama, Madaklasht, Bumburate etc and check whether microhydels are functional or not it will be clear to him, if some microhydels projects failed in few locations i.e. Drosh, Ayun, Broze and Chitral town etc it is the faulf of local perople who have not been able to managed the projects. It does not mean that projects are failed in all over Chitral areas.
Regards
Shams
Like Dr Khalil i am one benefited from AKDN for short period and based on my personel experience these organization are not not for development but rather operating certain families.Katoor at management level Zondray at PM level n Roshtee at Managers level while field staff further at katoore level.
In AKrsp three key position at islamabad level are with zondray while at district level top position with katoore 5 managers level position with Roshtee all are first causon and same in Enginerring department n Social Development.
In SRsp top positions with Katoore and managers level with katoore.While othet level positions ate with Rezee n singsleee and zondray at Driver level apneee ghare ke bandeee
Agreed with Asser sahib there are two competitor in chitral for Micro hydropower projects SRSP n Akrsp so one has won other has lost because of its poor performance in the district so now let Akrsp to perform n deliver.If AKRSp would not organize the people around these projects then every body has the right to question n even the religious parties should supervise it.Dont agitate people against the AKDN in personel capacities.
It will be not in favour of any orgization like SRSp or any body else.
Take it a good start of PTI govt n support it for the best interest of chitral
Most respectfully I beg to state that the Jamat Islami and Jamiat Ulema Islam have flourished by doing politics (read playing with sentiments of people) in the name of religion.They do not have any other issue to run their business exept targetting the peaceful and docile Ismaili community and the AKDN. But to decide about any public matter, there are forums and elected representatives of the people and these mullas have no authority neither any govt will listen to them. When they were in power at KPK, their MNA and MPAs took bribe and to win votes from Ismaili areas promised many things which later they broke. So I think there is no need to take these mullah so seriously.
Very lovely comment by lal sahib
But we should not forget the reality that the Katoor family are more educated and influential in all respect and NGo like SRSP or AKRSP cannot be operated without such people. So one cannot deny the exact reality and everyone in chitral and we all should accept it.
Our respected Asser has benefited from both the RSP NGOs and this the reason he is in advocacy of both the organizations. He knows that both benefits are within the family – one of his brother is sitting in AKRSP and another is in SRSP.
So he is appealing to all religious parties but internally he is not in favor of any aggression against any of the NGOs.
The honorable religious and political leaders should understand that this is a game between two or three local, national and international NGOs, it is absolutely not a religious matter.
SRSP and AKRSP both are part of NRSP. The difference is in their name other wise both are non-governmental organizations and are under NGO umbrella. These small hydel power stations are funded by the PPF and are in progress in 16 districts of KPK. The lease all these projects are time-bound funded and if we started fighting on it, how should these projects will be completed.
We have only three months and then in December it will be very difficult to work in short days and cool weather. Please don’t make these projects controversial like the Kalabagh dam project. Chitral is taking historical change within no time. After the completion of Lowari Tunnel project the road to Central Asia and China will be constructed through Chitral valley. So this is the time for a complete unity among all the people living in this paradise of peace.
Regardless sponsors, our ultimate goal must be aimed at the development of Chitral as there are conflicting opinions about the background of agencies working in Pakistan, distinctive line need to be drawn between politics and religion; the dogmatic approach has already put us back on fall. We most go with the credible organization that undertakes feasible projects without discrimination.
More then 100 micro hydel power stations were built by AKRSP between 1996-2002. Almost 90% of them disappeared within couple of years.. we don’t want any hydel station under community management…. as some village organizations are active in upper Chitral, who have been able to keep few of them running, but in lower Chitral active community organisation is unimaginable …. SRSP has no magic to make it possible, there is not even a single active village organization anywhere in southern chitral, to maintain and keep running such projects. I don’t understand how SRSP shows interested to do the same experiment that has faild under the same mangement, in Ayun, Broze, mroi, Reshun etc
We have not seen any hydropower projects in Drosh which has been succesfully constructed by Akrsp but AKRSp has slways developed such projects for SHAHZADAs like one in Seer dor kalkatak or for Molvi like one in Agar Kalkatak both are closed n the funds gone to one Shazada and enjoyed enough n othrr molvi transport the machines to Afgjanistan n earned handful amount.
So how we believe that the kpk funds will be utilized in lower chitral through community organization as most
Of the individuals n religious figure will not accept it and if the option within the akrsp is to work with the Individual molvies or shazada n now with PTi n jamat islami workers so the people will benefit n area will enjoy the bijli.
We are not with religious parties but we have to see to potential utilization of funds across the district. Is it possible for AKrsp to utilize all the funds in upper n lower chitral in time and construct projects NO,so AKRsp should itself review its critical parts n decide in the benefit of whole district.
In my opinion we should not be against any org but see the available options for the advantage of chitral n mak more beneficial the oppurtuniy.
I agreed with religious parties that lower chitral should be given to srsp cuz of its acceptance n upper parts of the District should be given to Akrsp but we totally against construction companies those are corrupt n we have seen its performance in Golan project n By pass
A dashmanan pisa wajahen ispa hamush we bjlio tn behchusi, akrsp kura jm korum koi ho d mo lakor jma pisa he chuea tn halbor.