CHITRAL, May 25: The Convener of the Tanzeem-i-Tahaffuz Huqooq Chitral, Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali, has demanded of the government to allocate $150 million for the construction of the Lowari tunnel, out of the grant announced by the World Bank recently.

The maulana told a press conference on Thursday that Chitral is a strategically important area and an all-weather route for it is of vital importance. He expressed his satisfaction over the response of the Chitrali people who had united on the TTH platform to gain their rights.

He announced that the TTH would launch a protest campaign against the government if President Musharraf did not announce a date for the commencement of work on the tunnel during his scheduled visit to Chitral on July 12.

The TTH leader said that a long march to Islamabad would be part of the campaign if the tunnel demand was not met by July 12.

PSF CONVENTION: At a PSF convention here, the provincial president of the People’s Students Federation, Kashif Sajjad, warned Gen Musharraf of the loss the democracy would suffer if Benazir Bhutto was kept away from the electoral process.