PESHAWAR (The Nation) – Dwellers of district Chitral have expressed deep concern over the freezing of funds for the construction of Lowari Tunnel project and set-up a protest camp here on Wednesday. The protesters are led by Convener Tahaffuz Haqooq Chitral, former MNA Abdul Akbar Chitrali along with scores of inhabitants of Chitral. They displayed banners in the protest camp demanding of the government to
resume construction work on tunnel project. According to dwellers, Lowari tunnel project was scheduled to complete by 31 December 2010, but the work was halted due to lack of funds.
resume construction work on tunnel project. According to dwellers, Lowari tunnel project was scheduled to complete by 31 December 2010, but the work was halted due to lack of funds.
The project was carried out by a Korean construction company “Sambu”, they said and added that the company also did not pay salaries to consultants for the last eight months due to stoppage of developmental funds to them. After the prevailing situation, the foreign consultants and engineers had quit work and left for their respective hometowns.
The earlier estimated cost of the project was Rs 8 billion, but due to delays and freezing of funds, it will be finalised at amount of Rs 23 billion against stipulated period.
The people of Chitral have held the incumbent coalition government responsible for delaying of the project.
The present government did not release the required funds to the construction company, because of which it compelled to halt development work on the project.
However, the previous MMA provincial government had keenly focused on the scheme and made unprecedented progress in this regard, they remarked.
JI Central Naib Ameer, Sirajul Haq also expressed solidarity with the people of Chitral and joined the protest camp for a while.
Speaking on the occasion, he said that the miseries of the inhabitants of Chitral would be minimised after completion of the project. Following the accomplishment of the project would lessen hardships of the Chitrali, make the movement of patients and supply of medicines and other essential commodities easy, he added.
He called upon the government for immediate release of funds and payment of outstanding dues to the consultants to complete the construction work in stipulated period.
The JI niab Ameer maintained that the present government had completely failed to control unprecedented price-hike, incidents of kidnapping for ransom, unemployment and growing traffic mess in the province.
The rulers are confined to the four walls and failed to resolve the problems and issues confronting the masses, he alleged.
He warned if the government failed to release funds to the concerned construction company for completion of Lowari Tunnel project, the residents of Chitral would take to roads and street and use all legal means for resolution of their problems.
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