GOC Swat visits Kalash valleys

CHITRAL, Feb 23: general officer commanding (GOC) Swat Maj-gen Javed Bukhari visited Chitral on Sunday. He also paid a visit to the Kalash valleys and met with the local people. On this occasion, Muslims residents of Kalash valleys brief the GOC about the centuries-old Kalash culture and said that the people of the area irrespective of their religious and ethnic affiliation had been protecting the this exotic culture and would continue to so in the future as well. They also highlighted the issues of the area especially rising unemployment and lack of communication infrastructure. Addressing the gathering, Gen Bukhari said that the procreation of the life and property of the people, irrespective of their religious, political and ethnic affiliations was the responsibility of the state. He said that the residents should also cooperate with the security forces in eliminating the anti-state elements. He assured the people that the army and the paramilitary forces were always at high alert to ensure maintenance of peace in the area.–Nazir Hussain  ]]>