Dir–Chitral Project Motorway On The Backburner?

Sarwar Kamal (Chitral town)

The Dir-Chitral Motorway project, envisioned as a crucial artery for economic and social development in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), remains stalled despite its strategic importance. It is a flagship project of the PTI-led KPK government. The people of KPK, and especially the Malakand Division, have given PTI a landslide mandate in the general election.

On the contrary, it is so irritating, disappointing, and embarrassing for their supporters and voters in Malakand Division that, despite having some heavyweights and key political figures from Malakand Division in the party — Junaid Akbar (President PTI KPK), Sahibzada Sibghatullah (Member National Assembly and Member Core Committee PTI), Suriya Bibi (Deputy Speaker KPK Assembly), and Barrister Gohar — this project is in cold storage.This important strategic project is a classical example of a familiar pattern in Pakistan’s mega infrastructure projects. Delays and missed deadlines have become the norm, often attributed to a mix of criminal negligence and poor planning. Considering the challenging mountainous terrain of the region, it seems it will take decades to make this dream a reality.

Undoubtedly, delays in project completion not only hinder development but also escalate costs, putting additional strain on the economy.

In my humble opinion, this project is more than just a route connecting Chitral to the rest of the country. In a broader sense, it is a strategically vital route with multidimensional implications for our country. Therefore, our policymakers should study its importance and utility in the broader spectrum. In the coming lines, we will try to cover all these important aspects related to this project.Here in Chitral, we share a vast and very porous boundary with Afghanistan. The latest fragile security situation there is no longer a mystery. Infiltrators and miscreants from the Afghan side have been attacking our check posts on a constant basis; as a result, many of our jawans have embraced shahadat. This ongoing delay in completing the project exacerbates vulnerabilities that could be exploited by infiltrators and miscreants.

Improved connectivity would ensure and enable the swift movement and deployment of security forces to tackle any misadventure or foreign aggression.In the same way, this project can boost our tourism industry. The tourism sector can provide bread and butter to the locals, thus alleviating poverty. We can present the unique culture of the Kalash people and events like the Shandur Polo Festival, played on the “roof of the world.” These things play a crucial role in projecting our positive image globally.

Another important aspect of this project is its potential to support and uplift our national economy. This route offers the shortest possible connection to the rich mineral, oil, and gas reserves of the Central Asian republics. We can easily import cheap electricity and gas from them, which would revolutionize our manufacturing industry. We can say this strategic route has all the potential to be the future energy corridor and gateway to Central Asia.

It is both irritating and hard to believe that this important project was not included in the Pak-China Economic Corridor in its first phase. Maybe it depicts our leadership skills — or rather, the lack of vision and misplaced priorities. After considering and keeping in view all these important points and aspects, I hope the federal government will also mobilize its resources to complete this strategic project. I am still optimistic that common sense will prevail soon to make this dream a reality.

Related:

Dir motorway project approved.

Land acquisition for Dir Motorway begins.