Resolution asks KP govt to review housing project at Qaqlasht
“My constituency, PK-90, spreads over vast ears of Torkhow, Mukhow, Mastuj, Yarkhun and Laspur valleys. The population of these valleys is about 0.250 million. Out of the 14850 square kilometers area of Chitral, my constituency covers 8,650 sq km. the Mulkhow valley is vulnerable to land sliding and earthquake whereas Torkhow and Mastuj are exposed to glacial outburst besides floods and earthquakes. Hence, in future there is no safe place of land for the people except Qaqlasht.”
On the other side, the provincial government intends to launch a housing scheme in the Qaqlasht plateau in upper Chitral. The provincial government would earn billions of rupees by selling plots and houses under the project. However, local people are of the view that they have been using the plateau as a pasture for centuries and would resist the government plan to launch a housing scheme there.
Such a project would not only deprive the local people of their proprietary right on the pasture but would also cause a cultural invasion by the settlement of people from all parts of the country in the heart of Chitral.
If the government is sincere in developing the area, it should make proper arrangements for launching a mega water project so that the barren land can be brought under cultivation and distributed among the local people, including those rendered homeless by the flash floods and the earthquake of 2015. Hence settling the homeless people at Qaqlasht should be our only agenda.
“In order to resolve the issue, the resolution is tabled in the house with a request that the provincial government may kindly review its decision to launch the housing scheme enabling the affected people of upper Chitral to have safe abode on this site.]]>
This is the right decision at the right time.The Qaqlasht housing scheme by KPK govt has opened the pandora box.Throughout the centuries the people of the area have been living peacefully fostering their mutual cooperation, sense of brotherhood and sisterhood.This was their mutual cooperation which has helped them against odds at the time of unforseen and unexpected situation.The KPK govt if interested can start any other type of development projects which could unite people rather than separating them.The idea that the affected homeless people should be settled over there should be accepted by all people living in upper chitral.Because settlement of the homeless people is a humanitarian issue
Nizar Ali Shah
Harchin Chitral
I Appreciate respectable MpA for taking such a responsible step,It solves many problems of victims of flood and earthquake..
This is super hypocrisy on the part of the PPP leader Sardar Hussain. I remember when he saluted IK and provincial government during IK visit to Booni, for initiating this project and he mentioned that time that this project would change the fate of the area. Its on record, later he held a press conference and mentioned that he was the one who initiated this project. What a shame, I am not saying whether the project is good or bad but our leaders should be able to stand by what they have said in the past. Now, PPP leaders have only been left to put up resolutions to reject their own initiatives.
Great job! That should be the spirit.This is called leadership. If you people show such sort of maturity, vision and learned concerns about your people than certainly your stature will increase in the eyes of your people.presenting a resolution is only the first step, the second step must be mobilizing and lobbying to make the government review its decision, mobilization in mass level and lobbying in Assembly level are essential. We expect elected members in LG system to play their role. This is a ripe moment for Huqooq movement Upper Chitral to show its sincerity by staging mass movement to build pressure on the decision makers.
We also expect our MNA Sh. Iftikhar and Lady MPA madam Fouzia to play their part in this connection. The people of CHitral expect from other MPAs to favour the resolution in the House.
Kudos to Sardar Hussain and Salim Khan, we are with you. The only time i am happy from your activities is this moment, because your step is going to have a very long run significance.