Muhammad Irshad Ullah
Peshawar, Nov 21, 2025: Chitral’s key development projects continue to suffer severe delays and financial constraints, prompting community leaders to voice strong criticism against both federal and provincial authorities.
In a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club on Friday, Chitrali elders ncluding Waqas Ahmad Advocate, Maulana Saeedullah, Inayatullah Aseer, Islamuddin, Anees Muhammad, and Sardar Wali highlighted the “persistent neglect” of the region despite its national, economic, and strategic significance.
The speakers said basic infrastructure, particularly highways and internal roads, had deteriorated sharply, impacting local connectivity and development.
They noted that major projects such as the Lowari Approach Road, Chitral–Shandur Road, Kalash Valley Road, Garam Chashma Dorah Pass Road, Torkhow Road, and Mastuj–Broghil Road were “plagued by severe financial shortages and government apathy.”
The National Highway Authority (NHA) had not allocated any funds for the Lowari Approach Road this year, while the 22-billion-rupee Chitral–Shandur Road project had received only a few hundred million rupees. “At this rate, these projects may not be completed even in the next 20 years,” they warned.
The elders expressed concern over budget allocations for tourism and cultural sites such as Kalash Valley and Garam Chashma, noting that some projects had been entirely removed from the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), hampering the region’s economic and tourism potential.
The provincial government also faced criticism for halting work on multiple internal roads, including those in Arandu, Sheshi Koh, Karimabad, Molkhow, Khot, Terich, and Lon Gohkir.
They questioned the utilization of already released funds and called for a transparent audit of disaster relief allocations, saying billions of rupees had been released for Upper and Lower Chitral but little had reached the public.
Highlighting strategic importance, the elders said the Mastuj–Broghil Road could serve as a “future economic lifeline,” linking Pakistan directly to Tajikistan and Central Asia via a 25-kilometre tunnel through the Wakhan Corridor. They lamented, however, that the project was being “completely ignored.”
The speakers also raised concerns about the health sector, noting that Upper Chitral’s DHQ Hospital had not been completed even after seven years, and only four doctors were serving the entire district.
They demanded immediate release of development funds, resumption of halted projects, a transparent audit of disaster funds, urgent improvements in healthcare, and a long-term development policy aligned with Chitral’s strategic importance. They warned that continued government neglect could force the community to resort to protests.
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I had also highlighted these issues in an open court of DC upper Chitral at Khot last month. But unfortunately no action has been taken by DC against involved elements….
unfortunately Chitral had been rejected and neglected from the last 30 years by the variety of governments. I would say Specially from the last 15 years PTI’S government in KPK but no thing done for the depressed and helpless Chitralians. no roads at all , infrastructure has been buried from many years. flights from Peshawar as well as from Islamabad are suspended long time ago. Corruption allegations are common for every big and small projects ( Specially Booni Buzund Roads Corruption Scandals ( Allegedly) on one of the top PTI ‘s stalwarts from Upper Chitral. so I would say ” es khar ko.Aag lak gai ghar ky Chiragh say ” we appreciate our Chitrali elders Specially Advocate Waqas for perceiving these maga projects cases in coutrs.