In the wake of unusually-prolonged closure of the #Lowari Tunnel a grave humanitarian crisis is in the making in #Chitral where food and other essential supplies have run critically short. That their plight would alleviate anytime soon is a remote possibility given the weird conjunction of hostile weather and motivated politics. For about three weeks now the tunnel, which operates as the sole link between District Chitral and mainland Pakistan during winter when the road link through Lowari Pass becomes impassable due to heavy snowfall, is closed to all heavy traffic. Only light vehicles are allowed and that only for three hours twice a week. And that now courtesy the pleadings of KPK chief minister Pervaiz Khattak. Resultantly, some 600 trucks carrying wheat, edible oil and other essential supplies are held up on the Dir end of the tunnel. Adding to the misery of the people of Chitral even the PIA has drastically cut down on its weekly flights bringing it to two against 20 before, blaming the mischief on inclement weather on the way. Heavy snow and bad weather are not the new developments that these were entirely unforeseen and hence this crisis. Indeed there is an unsavoury history to this critical situation.
Chitral is the area-wise largest district of KPK and its half a million inhabitants are spread far and wide over its rocky landscape. Before the construction of Lowari Tunnel in the winter it was connectable through Afghanistan, a routine which didn't sit well with the national pride of the people of the area. Obviously with the people of Chitral a reliable winter connection has been a life and death issue; anybody who would help build a tunnel to connect rest of the country was bound to be lionised by them. When promised by the PPP the people of Chitral elected Nusrat Bhutto, and when constructed Pervez Musharraf was offered the National Assembly seat - to be won without contest. If there is a believable cause for the PML (N)-led federal government's continuous indifference to the plight of the people of Chitral it is its electorate's 'cardinal sin' of sending Musharraf's All Pakistan Muslim League's only member to the National Assembly.
As to why the tunnel has been put out of action for heavy traffic and what should be done to restore its full capacity there is a vicious background to it. The construction work of the tunnel is far from over, held up at the stage it was when Musharraf government disappeared from the scene. With anti-Musharraf government in power the work was stopped and has not been resumed since. So under heavy snow on its roof the water tends to leak through its ceiling threatening a sudden collapse of the structure at some points. Even the payments to the contractor supposed to maintain the tunnel have been refused. Given this dilemmic situation the caretakers on the site fear that if allowed heavy traffic may cause the collapse, a risk they don't want to take on their own. But the people of Chitral stoutly reject this argument, blaming the federal government of punishing them for their political choices. "We are being punished only because we are peaceful people," says MNA from Chitral Shahzada Iftikharuddin. "Otherwise, how the government could spend Rs 20 billion on restoration of peace in Swat as against Rs 4 billion required annually to complete the construction of the Lowari Tunnel," he asks. What is the real cause for disallowing heavy traffic through the tunnel there is no clear answer to it. As to why is the federal government indifferent to the plight of fellow countrymen in Chitral the federal government has got to break its silence. The increasingly-famished half a million Chitralis are as patriotic Pakistanis as anywhere else. The rulers in Islamabad must wake up to this looming threat and do whatever it costs. Recall, how feverishly General Ziaul Haq worked to avert impending famine in Northern Areas by dramatically augmenting the transportation capacity of the National Logistics Cell.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2014