Khairuddin Shadani
GARAM CHASHMA, Sept 29, 2025: Hundreds of stray and rabid dogs have taken over Garam Chashma bazaar, creating a severe civic crisis as they roam unchecked through streets, alleys, and the marketplace.
These dogs attack residents and prey on livestock. Locals recently filmed a goat being mauled near the ground, which clearly demonstrates the alarming scale of the menace.
The Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) and district authorities have ignored the threat and chosen to remain passive spectators. The TMO has mismanaged sanitation and neglected civic responsibilities, turning the once lively market into a hub of filth and fear. Residents now avoid leaving their homes after dark, and tourists have started to shun the valley because of insecurity.
Tehsil Chairman Shahzada Amanur Rahman won thousands of votes from Garam Chashma, yet residents say he has failed to deliver on promises. They accuse him of showing no performance during the past four years and remaining silent on urgent civic problems.
The president of the local bazaar union admitted during a meeting that the body lacks power and influence. “We are helpless,” he said. Frustrated locals, however, have resolved to act on their own. They plan to capture stray dogs and dump them in front of the TMO office to embarrass the authorities and compel them to act.
The people of Garam Chashma now ask why the administration keeps silent when human lives and daily livelihoods remain under threat. They consider the episode one of the worst failures of the TMA and insist that the TMO must accept responsibility and face accountability for negligence.
It may be mentioned here that the district administration of Lower Chitral has launched a drive to neuter stray dogs in different parts of Chitral in order to control their growing population. Officials said veterinary teams have been deployed to capture the animals, carry out vaccination and sterilization, and then release them back into their habitats.
The administration described the campaign as a humane and long-term solution to the stray dog crisis, urging local communities to cooperate with the teams to ensure public safety and protect livestock.