CHITRAL: A large number of people held a protest outside the police station of Harchin in Laspur valley of Upper Chitral against shortage of wheat in sale points and godowns of the area.
Speaking on the occasion, political and social figure Suharwadi Khan Yaftali said the unprecedented rains and floods in July-August had damaged standing and harvested crops in whole Upper Chitral and now the locals were short of wheat and other food items.
In such a situation, the government failed to supply wheat to the area and there was a famine-like situation with no steps being taken by the district administration to resolve the issue. Moreover, he added, utility store outlets were in the district also out of stock of essential commodities and except tissue boxes they have nothing in store for the consumers.
It has been learnt that at present godowns and sale points in Yarkhun and Laspur have no stock of wheat which is provided by the food department every year before the winter season.
Local people depended on the food department’s wheat to meet about 60 to 70pc of their yearly requirement but this year the local production further decreased due to the inclement weather.
Mr Yaftali said the government failed to supply wheat and other essential items to the area, he would lead the people of Laspur to Booni to hold a protest sit-in outside the DC office.–Bashir Hussain Azad