March 10, 2003	Monday	Muharram 6, 1424

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CHITRAL, March 9: More than 500 stranded passengers reached Chitral from Peshawar, led by district Nazim Shahzada Mohyuddin, via Kunar province of Afghanistan.

The passengers had been waiting for the PIA flights for last one month in Peshawar, which were cancelled due to bad weather, while the Afghan administration did not allow them passage through the Kunar province and the Frontier Corps had sealed the borders.

Feeling concern for the stranded Chitralis, the district nazim reached Peshawar and held talks with the Afghan consul in Peshawar who yielded to his request and allowed the use of the route.

The Nazim led the first convoy of the passengers and reached here on Saturday.

Talking to Dawn here on Sunday, the Nazim said that the administration of Kunar province would ensure the safety of the passengers. However, the passengers, he said, would have to change vehicles at three places due  to security reasons.

While entering Afghanistan through Nawa Pass, the passengers  would travel on Afghan vehicles till Arandu border and from there  onward, the local vehicles would be used, he added. He thanked the Afghan consul in Peshawar for allowing the use of route.

Reportedly, during the last one month, only six flights were operated out of the 86 scheduled and special flights, while the number of the stranded passengers in Peshawar had risen to thousands.