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Save the walnut trees

The Kalash Community who were once the rulers of our district Chitral are now fighting against the economically exploiting segment of our community. Because Kalash Community is economical weak, backward and illiterate, to make them to ends meet most of the time, they sell their lands as well as some other precious goods. Walnut trees are also very valuable trees, they have in their three valley ( Bumburet, Rumbur and Birir).

During the prize hike and inflation, they have sold these trees to the contractors form down country and these people have started cutting these trees to carry away to sell in the market, because walnut tree is considered as very suiting for the making of furniture�s, these trees are the only beauty of these valleys and because of their natural beauty attract tourists to their valleys. Usually a family can earn 7 to 8 thousand rupees per year from a single walnut tree in farm of nuts. During their reign in 1322 and on ward the population of Kalash community was 150,000 and now less than 3700 Kalash people are living in their three valleys. The same situation arise during the govt of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, and through the executive order Z.A Bhutto stopped the cutting of walnut trees and allocated funds after paying to the contractors all the trees were returned to the Kalash people and further imposed ban on cutting and selling of walnut trees. As these people have a very unique cultural and tradition for the last so many centuries, they didn�t change their life style and still follow their centuries old customs and traditions, and because their custom and tradition, they attract million of tourist, so our govt as well civil society including NGO�s should strive to protect their community. Otherwise the business community is not concerned with the centuries old rich customs and tradition, these people want to earn money in any case.



Bashir Hussain Azad
Chitral.

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Do hard work and make your luck

Dear editor,

I m a student, from Booni Chitral. I am studying in AKHSS Gilgit and  living with my friends very happily here.
When I first came to this school, I did not know what was the meaning of my life? I came here and knew what is the aim of my life. I set a goal for myself and now I am able to control over my life.
Nowadays  it is not difficult rather impossible to run daily life without education. So it is my massage to all students that do hard work and make your luck.

with thanks

AZEEM SARWAR
s/oHAKIM SARWAR