PESHAWAR: In what appears to be a direct response to rising political and public pressure, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Department has approved a set of amendments to the regulations of the Kalash Valley Development Authority (KVDA).
The move comes just a day after political and community leaders from Kalash Valley gave the provincial government a May 30 deadline to dismantle the KVDA, accusing it of bypassing local voices and disrupting the valley’s traditional and cultural fabric.
The warning reported by ChitralToday on Wednesday sparked widespread discussion on governance in the region.
The decision to amend the KVDA regulations was made during a meeting in Peshawar chaired by Secretary for Tourism and Culture Bakhtiar Khan. Also present were KVDA Chairman Advocate Ahmad Ali, Director General Minhasuddin, former special assistant to the CM on Minority Affairs Wazirzada, as well as board members and other stakeholders.
According to sources, the meeting involved detailed discussions on the public grievances raised by Kalash valley residents and leaders.
The participants agreed on a set of amendments to address the community\’s concerns, particularly those related to the authority’s current operational framework and its lack of effective community engagement.
The approved draft has now been forwarded to the Law Department for vetting. Once finalized, it will be submitted to the provincial cabinet for formal approval.
Local observers see this development as an attempt by the provincial government to defuse tensions and avoid a potential political standoff in the culturally sensitive Kalash region.
Whether these changes will satisfy local demands or prompt a rethinking of KVDA’s very presence in the valley remains to be seen.