Foreign-funded project plunges into controversy

The News - CHITRAL: The Rs1 billion Norwegian-funded Chitral Integrated Area Development Project has plunged into controversy. Leaders belonging to almost all political parties at a meeting with the district coordination officer (DCO) five days back had lamented the modus operandi of the firm implementing the project and asked the provincial government to monitor the schemes. They told the DCO that no proper work had been initiated on the project despite passage of a year and feared the money given to the area by the Norwegian government was being wasted.

The district chief of the PPP-Sherpao, Abdul Wali Khan, invited the Norwegian ambassador in Pakistan to visit the valley to see how the funds meant for the development of the area were being utilised. PPP leaders Zainul Abidin and Hakim Khan, PML-Q’s Saeed Ahmed and JUI-F leaders attended the meeting and lambasted the firm implementing the project and accused it of wasting the funds. 

On Tuesday, former MNA Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali and former district nazim Maghfirat Shah of Jamaat-e-Islami, defended the implementing firm, saying that a conspiracy was being hatched against the project. Addressing a press conference, they alleged that Shahzada Mohiuddin was behind all efforts to fail the project.

When contacted, MNA Shahzada Mohiuddin said he was representing the people of Chitral and it was his responsibility to convey the grievances of the people to the authorities. He said the people would hold him accountable if the funds meant for developing the area were misused.