March 18, 2002	Monday	Muharram 3, 1423

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CHITRAL, March 17: Following the closure of Kunar route for Chitralis by the interim Afghan administration shortly after the Eid-ul-Azha and the frequent cancellation of flights, the residents of Chitral see no option but try to reach their homes from other parts of the country by crossing the hazardous Lowari Top clad in 10 feet snow throughout the year.

Only last week, a caravan of 300 people scaled the Lowari Pass with the loss of one life. This prompted the stranded passengers in Peshawar to follow suit.

Some passengers who reached here told Dawn on Saturday that they had to walk for three hours braving the chilly cold winds. It proved far better to take this risk than to remain stranded in Peshawar.

They revealed that the tremendous pressure of passengers on the PIA flights in Peshawar was also relieved as many of them opted to take the Lowari Pass.

The PIA charges a passenger Rs940, while it costs only Rs300 by road.

ALL PARTIES MEETING: The All Parties meeting held here on Saturday demanded of President Gen Pervez Musharraf to immediately announce a date for the commencement of work on the Lowari tunnel.

The meeting was called by the Tanzeem-i-Tahaffuz Huqooq Chitral.