On Tuesday morning, the stranded Chitralis closed the road for the local people in protest against the government for not opening the tunnel. As a result, a clash ensued between the Chitralis and some local people after the latter tried to get the road open. Four people including two Chitralis were injured in the clash. The Dir police reached the spot and opened aerial firing to maintain peace. The local admin of upper Dir has arranged a few tents for the Chitralis at the site. Police and other law enforcement personnel have also been deployed in the area. The passengers also held a protest and demanded that the deputy commissioners of Chitral and upper Dir should talk to the authorities concerned to open the tunnel for them. However, the DC upper Dir visited the site and expressed his inability saying it was the authority of the federal government and the NHA to open the tunnel. An engineer who worked with the Korean company constructing the tunnel told ChitralToday that the Chitralis passengers were deliberately being denied entry in the pass on the pretext of the ongoing concrete laying work inside the tunnel. He said while the work was going on, a 3.5 metre space was always available in the tunnel for the movement of company and VIP vehicles. The stranded passengers can very easily be facilitated even during the working hours, he aaded. The stranded people on the occasion severely criticized the elected representatives of Chitral for their failure in opening the tunnel in such emergency cases. As the NHA has refused to open the tunnel except on Friday after closure of the Lowari top, where the passengers would go as the road was closed after the Monday snowfall.]]>
Please update me about the tunnel. I’m curious to drive through it. Has anyone traveled through it? Please share the videos and photos. I’ll be happy to see and dive into the tunnel.
Today is Friday and Tunnel is supposed to remain open. What to say to our luck, even today we and hundreds of others are waiting since 6am till now 12 noon at Chitral Terminal where there is no vehicle for the travel downwards. There is no one from the local administration or anyone from the local bodies to ameliorate the lot of the people. Taxis are charging exorbitant rates, one 4 wheeler jeep demands Rs.10000 or 9 passengers for 1200 rupees each. Woe be to those who create such a situation.
Chitralion ko sharif kehtai hain. hum apni kazorion ko sharafat ka nam daikar khud ko dukha dairahi hain. Hum lawaris qaoum hain hamara koi leader koi numayenda nahi. In naahal numayendon par lahgnait baijo. Oor apna haq chinna seko.
I don’t know when a chitrali man can travel without being exploited and humiliated. Always being exploited at van station at Pirwadai by munishies and same at Peshawar even our own people are involved to exploit through charging extra amount against the luggage that someone carrying. No anyone asks about the weight of the baggage that you carry with you while travelling from Peshawar to Karachi as you turn back to Chitral every one jumps into the field to weigh your bags……. It is too much…. Unfortunately we are pleased that we are peaceful citizens but I don’t understand, is it true or there is something wrong, after being humiliated and exploited we don’t dare to snatch our own right.
Now it is happening with us at our door step for the last many years, where is our leadership, where are they sleeping?
Hai chitrarian pisa tori dosiko muli hawaz naimian.. Asman chiti gyawa rowlaitu koi chakumian.. tan halato rokhsitamia? tunnel di boi phuk sabur korur..
PPP and PTI both did nothing for chitral. But very sorry to say, even in future chitralies will go after ppp and PTI. kaigh ke hoi ANP ya Moulana abdul Akbar tahn beh.
Chitralion ka allah hi hafiz hai. har jaga chitralion ko insan koi samajta hi nahi. ham log apni huqooq k leay bol hi nahi saktey. gilgit baltistan me c 130 regular pia flights chal rehe hain au giglit to skardu flight be shurogh hain.
afsoos a itnti sanihat k baojood bhi hakumat k taraf se koi qadam nahi utha ya gia. jist tarah log becharey hain isit tarah hamarey leaders bi hai inko to bolna hi nahi ata keheen jakar zaban band hoti hai.
sharam karo itni zalalat har jaga aur apni huqooq nahi le sakte. tunnel ban gia hai sifarishi log ate jate hain aug awam zalil horehe hain
doop maro tum sab doop maro, shame on you people.
Jia bhutoo, ek sardari,sab pe bari.ek gilani chitral pe phere pani.p pp forgot chitral during its government.only Sherpow did something for chitral not ppp.
Zardari sap pe bari.
This humiliation of the Chitrali citizens has been exercised since 2009, during our favorite “democratic” era. Let the democrats enjoy it.
There is no denying of the fact that the tunnel is being used by the VIPs etc. who have a reach to higher ups. Recently a group of tourist visited Lawari area on Sunday and they were able to cross the tunnel and came back to Islamabad over the top based on their Army sources posted at Lawari Tunnel. While they were there just for fun and even the top was open, still they were allowed just to cross the tunnel and come back from over the top from Ziarat. The link of the trip is as follow:
https://www.pakwheels.com/forums/t/ijcs-day-trip-to-snowy-lowari-top/415456
Strangely for these “only for fun” tourist, there was no work going on inside the tunnel, while Women and Children along with old age Chitralis are stuck in severe cold and snow on Dir side with no one to take notice of their plight.
In fact, there is always space for vehicle inside the tunnel but authorities are denying it for the poor Chitralis who are unable to reach their home and living in snow. Shame on this attitude.
First you strand them and then give them few tents as ‘shelter’. Disgusting and disgraceful.