CHITRAL GILGIT ROAD

Dear Editor,

Through your esteemed paper its brought to the notice of the concerned authorities that the President of Pakistan General Pervez Musharaf last year in July while addressing the public on the occasion of Shandur Polo Festival had kindly announced the construction of metal road from Booni to Shandur and a bridge over Yarkhun river to facilitate flow of traffic between Chitral and Gilgit. The people of the area were very glad and enthusiastic over this important announcement. On this occasion while addressing the gathering Federal Minister for Toursim Mrs. Nilfar Bakhtiar had requested the President Musharaf to direct the concerned authorities to expedite the said construction work and to ensure traveling on metal road to Shandur during next Festival 2007, as the same year has been declared �Visit Pakistan�.

Ironically work on the construction of the said important foreign as well as inland tourist track is still awaited. While a month later Shandur Polo Festival 2007 have to taken place. This state of affair has created a great resentment amongst the public of the area. The people of Mastuj also resent the propose realignment of the said road while wasting lot of amount on the construction of two separate bridges and purchase of land in snow bound side.

Therefore it is requested that concerned authorities may look into the matter and start work on metal road well on the existing side to mitigate suffering of the travelers from Chitral to Gilgit and Gilgit to Chitral and to remove the unrest of the public of upper Mastuj.


Wilayat Khan
Mastuj Chitral.

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The Visit Pakistan year 2007

It was a very encouraging news to add the four local event of Chitral, to visit to Pakistan year list, i.e Chilimjusht , Broghil festival, Shandur Polo festival and Jashn-e-Qaqaqlasht. One of these major events has been celebrated, but Jeshin-e- Qaqaq lasht had been postponed because of the calamity in Washich village. The Chilimjusht festival is actually the spring festival of Kalash people; it had been attracting a lot of tourists from with in the country and abroad as well. But in this year we were expecting more tourist, but because of the poor infrastructure and over protective measures taken by govt, we observe less number of tourists comparatively. As we didn�t present this unique culture to the world for attraction international tourist, it shows the less interests of tourism authority towards this area.

Food, Infrastructure, hotel and the behavior of the local people are the factors, which can facilitate and attract the tourists. If the tourism authority and district govt didn�t take a serious steps toward the coming two major event i.e Shandur Polo Tournament and Broghil festival definitely our tourism industry would not get any benefit with this visit Pakistan year in Chitral. If we take the example of our local bazaar, from where all our tourists buy the necessary goods, and live in the local hotels, these hotels are serving sub-standered foods. We even don�t have streetlights in main bazaar, tourists usually come out at late time, and it shows a deserted look for them. Another aspect, which also noticeable is that the tourism authority should in annual basis, arrange a training of the local shop keepers, net cafe owner and other hotel staffs to improve their behavior towards the coming guests. If the two big events of tourism are not properly advertised, managed according to the requirements of the tourists, definitely the local hotels owners, business class and other tourists dependent organizations and as well as common men would suffer a lot.



Bashir Hussain Azad
Chitral