Peshawar—Chitralis held a protest demonstration against the delay in
completion of the Lawari Tunnel and demanded for allocation of Rs 4
billion for such a mega project.Tanzeem-e-Tahafuz-e-Haqook-e-Chitral (TTHC) Chairman Sadiq Ameen was the leading protesting Chitralis here outside cantonment Railway Station on Tuesday. The demonstrators were carrying banner and placards inscribed with demands of the allocation sufficient funds for its completion on time.
They were also raising their full throat slogans in favour of their demands and against the government for its failure to complete the tunnel with the stipulated period. Sadiq Ameen while talking to media persons, said that the federal government had allocated only Rs 1 billion for the completion of the tunnel which he added was nothing for such mega project, therefore, government should allocate Rs 4 billion for the purpose. He blamed the government for transferring the project fund to Multan and Larkana which was totally injustice with Chatrali people, saying that such kind of tactics would not be tolerated.
He said that the construction company had stopped work on the project for one year and the said allocated amount was insufficient for restarting the work. In the prevailing situation, he said the project could not be completed within the stipulated period (till 2013). The protesters also burnt the effigy of the Federal Minister Abd-ul-Hafeez for neglecting the mega project of vital important in the annual budget. They said they were peaceful people and demanded for allocation of the said amount for the tunnel aimed at restarting the work, failing which protest demonstration would be continued.