Political leaders resent delay in construction of Mastuj road

Javed Khan

BOONI: Representatives of different political parties belonging to Upper Chitral held a meeting here to discuss the issues of the area and get them resolved in coordination with the district administration.

The meeting held at the residence of Shah Wazir Lal was chaired by Hakim Ali Advocate, says a press release sent to ChitralToday.

Those who attended the meeting included Shah Wazir Lal of ANP, Prince Sultan Ul Mulk of PML-N,  Amirullah of PPP, Aftab M. Tahir of PTI,  Fazlur Rehman from ANP and Mujibur Rehman from JUI-F.

The political leaders said during the regime of Gen Pervez Musharraf funds were allocated for the construction of Booni-Mastuj road but after constructing the 22 km portion of the 35 km road from south of Parwak to Mastuj the work was abandoned. It was even claimed that the 22 km portion had been blacktopped and hence the funds allegedly embezzled.

According to the original plan, the road was to be constructed from Booni on the side of Awi and crossed over to Parwak side in Awi. But so far, there has been no progress on the remaining portion of the road on Awi side.

The participants through a resolution demanded that the construction of the road should be initiated without further delay to facilitate the masses of Upper Chitral which has been declared as a new district with all its offices in Booni.

The meeting also demanded that the offices of the district and other departments should be established in Booni town as it was more accessible to people of all areas. The participants said a residential colony could be constructed for the employees of the district administration at Qaqlasht but the plateau near Booni is not suitable for housing government offices.

They also said all telephone and water supply and electric lines should be shifted from the middle of the under-construction portion of the road from Booni bridge to the rest house to the roadsides before black topping of the road.

That all public health engineering department water supply lines in Booni have gone dry and it is demanded that without further delay water should be arranged through these lines.

The meeting expressed concerns over prolonged power loadshedding even though there was no shortage of water at Golen Gol powerhouse or any other issue. The participants demanded that the government should resolve the issue without any further delay.

Moreover, Telenor mobile phone service has deteriorated in whole Chitral so the company should improve it on a priority basis.

The local administration was asked to rationalize chicken meat prices in Boonib which was at present selling at Rs400 to Rs550 per kg.

That the government should also expedite the pace of work on the construction of Muzhgol and Kosht bridges which is st present progressing very slowly, said the resolution.