Shujaat Ali Bahadar
The true measure of development lies not in the launch of projects or the amount of money spent on them, but in the tangible improvements they bring to people’s lives.
The development philosophy of the late Prince Karim Aga Khan IV was rooted in human dignity, education, economic self-reliance and improving the living standards of underserved communities. At its heart was the belief that development must create meaningful change and offer hope to future generations.
Yet, the failure of the Chumarkhan micro-hydel project in Chapari, Chitral, after 11 years raises serious questions about the practical implementation of these principles.
Launched in 2015 through a partnership between the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) and the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation (PEDO), the project remains non-operational. Residents of Chapari, Kargin and Khozh continue to live without the electricity this scheme was intended to provide, while the education of hundreds of students has also been affected.
One of the key concerns surrounding the project is the alleged failure of the initial survey and construction of its water channel. According to local residents, the site selected for the channel was unsuitable for a stable structure, resulting in repeated damage. They further claim that laboratory tests commissioned later by a local contractor reportedly identified problems with the ground’s suitability for construction.
This raises a fundamental question: why were the necessary geological and laboratory tests not conducted before millions of rupees were spent? Assessing soil conditions and the technical suitability of a site is a basic requirement of any major infrastructure project.
Reports suggest that, following these problems, AKRSP allocated additional funds in 2025 and awarded a fresh contract for the water channel. If so, why should institutional resources have to be spent again to address shortcomings in the original planning? Who was responsible for the initial survey, and has anyone been held accountable?
The broader issue is one of institutional accountability.
Why has the performance of the staff responsible for supervising the project not been independently reviewed, despite eleven years of delay? Have their technical qualifications and administrative responsibilities been assessed? If negligence or professional incompetence is established, should those concerned continue in the same positions, or should qualified and experienced professionals be entrusted with the task?
The Chief Executive of the Aga Khan Foundation Pakistan, Akhtar Iqbal, Sherzad Ali Haider and the Aga Khan National Council for Pakistan should ensure an immediate technical and administrative audit of the project. The original survey, laboratory reports, details of the additional funding allocated in 2025 and the subsequent contract should be made public. Responsibility for the failure must be established, with appropriate action taken in accordance with the rules.
This is not a campaign against any individual or institution. It is a call for transparency and accountability. The success of development organisations such as AKRSP should be judged not by project announcements or expenditure figures, but by the results they deliver to the communities they serve.
Can this be considered consistent with the Aga Khan’s vision of development when, eleven years later, people in a remote area are still deprived of electricity?
The people of Chapari do not need further promises; they need electricity. The relevant institutions must announce a clear timeframe for making the project operational and keep the community informed about tangible progress. If the delay continues, residents have every right to register their peaceful protest.
Eleven years of waiting must come to an end. The failure of the project demands answers, and the homes of Chapari, Kargin and Khozh must finally receive the light they were promised. Ultimately, the real test of development is not the approval of projects, but the difference they make to ordinary people’s lives.