Govt stance on Shandur could create tension in Chitral, GB
BOONI: At a meeting of local notables, political representatives and elders in Booni, the federal government was asked to remove apprehensions created among the people of Chitral regarding its stance on the jurisdiction of the proposed Handarap-Shandur national park.
The participants said people of Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan have similarities in their cultures, traditions and history and because of the deep-rooted relations have lived in peace for centuries.
But the federal government intentionally or by mistake has created anger among the people of Chitral by showing Shandur as a territorial area of GB.
The meeting was convened by Tehreek Huqooq-e-Awam.
The participants said such a childish move on part of the government and its failure to clarify its blunder can be exploited by elements seeking a chance to ignite tension and create law and order situation in the sensitive region.
They expressed the hope that the government would remove the blunder it made by showing Shandur as a part of GB in the list of the 15 proposed national parks.
This is very unfortunate that our Govt functions as a group of illiterate people. There is no culture of file work and taking up cases alongwith summaries. Had there been a file and a summary, the Prime Minister would certainly hve the opportunity to know the whereabouts of Handarap and Shandur. He would have realised that Handarap is in GB and Shandur is in KP. Both can never be bracketted together to make a single Nationt Park under GB administration. This is so sad that it has earned bad name for the Govt.