VC chairmen demand transfer of DC Lower Chitral

CHITRAL: Elected local government representatives from Garam Chashma have voiced strong concerns over the conduct of Deputy Commissioner (DC)  Lower Chitral Mohsin Iqbal, calling for his transfer and a formal investigation into a recent incident.

In a unanimously passed resolution, the representatives alleged that they visited the DC to discuss several pressing public issues affecting the region, including a dispute over butcher shops in Garam Chashma. However, according to them, the official abruptly ended the meeting without hearing their concerns and behaved inappropriately during the interaction.

The resolution emphasized that local government officials are elected representatives serving under a public mandate and deserve to be treated with respect and dignity, in line with constitutional and democratic norms.

The representatives have appealed to the provincial government to conduct a transparent inquiry into the matter and to take appropriate administrative action against the official if the allegations are proven true.

As of now, no official response has been issued by the deputy commissioner regarding the incident.

It may be mentioned here that two months ago, leaders from both communities had agreed to designate specific areas of the Garam Chashma bazaar for butchers from Sunni and Ismaili communities, separated by a buffer zone, in an effort to maintain communal harmony and avoid conflict.

However, the agreement was later mutually revoked, allowing butchers from both communities to open shops freely throughout the market.

In the aftermath, several Ismaili butchers established businesses at both ends of the bazaar. Meanwhile, butchers operating in the central section, regardless of affiliation, reportedly faced reduced customer traffic and lower sales.

The situation has since drawn the attention of certain nonlocal individuals and groups, who have launched a campaign calling for the reinstatement of the original agreement. They are demanding that Ismaili butchers be restricted to their previously designated zones, a move that some community members fear could reignite tensions.

The village council nazims belonging to both the communities in their meeting with the DC stressed the need to continue with the current arrangements of allowing butchers to do business anywhere in the bazaar. But they alleged that the DC not only misbehaved with them but also warned to get an FIR registered against them.