Disorder on roads as Chitralis rush home to celebrate Eid

DROSH, Oct 4: The acute shortage of transport facilities in Chitral has dampened the spirit of Chitralis returning home to celebrate Eidul Azha with their families. Besides, this year too due to the rising inflation most of the people of unable to buy sacrificial animals.

The Sacrificial animal traders have flooded the main towns and set up their makeshift markets in Chitral, Drosh Gol and other areas. A large number of people are visiting the markets but many of them said the prices were out of their reach.

It is very strange that people in KP are celebrating Eidul Azha this years on three separate day, Today is the first day of the Eid at Muhmand Agency, while tomorrow the Eid will be celebrated in some parts of Peshawar. The people of Chitral will, however, celebrate the event on Monday as announced by the central Ruet Hilal Committee. 

Meanwhile, transporters have started fleecing the people returning to their home villages in far-off areas of Chitral. One passenger in Chitral said he had been waiting for a van to go to Booni but there was a shortage of transport vehicles. He said the flying coaches had increased their fare to over Rs.250. He said the Ghogai taxi were charging Rs600 per passenger from Chitral to Booni and crammed six passengers into one car. Other passengers in the Chitral bus terminals also complained that the local administration and the police had failed to keep a check on the fares of public transporters.

A passenger said that the police stopped a passenger van near Denin and brought it back to the police lines for overloading. But at the police station instead of punishing the driver the officials concerned started arguing with the passengers that why they were crowding the van endangering their life.—Abbas Hussain