July 30, 2003	Wednesday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 29, 1424

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CHITRAL, July 29: A federal commission will resolve the demarcation issue between Chitral and Gilgit keeping in view historical facts and findings of the commission members.

At an arbitration meeting between the representatives of Chitral and Gilgit at the ministry of Kashmir affairs and Northern Areas in Islamabad the other day, it was resolved that an amicable and acceptable solution would be found regarding Gilgit’s claim over the Shandur Pass area.

The additional secretary of the ministry, Gulzar Khan, representatives of the states and frontier regions and the Survey of Pakistan acted as arbiters.

The Nazim of union council Laspur, Sulaiman Shah Asif, one of the representatives of Chitral, told Dawn on Tuesday that the commission, having consulted the map maintained by the Survey of Pakistan, had pointed out that Shandur Pass was an integral part of Chitral. People of adjoining Laspur, the Nazim said, were still using the Pass as their pasture in summer.

He said the meeting came to the conclusion that before independence, the Langar pasture, some 3km from Shandur on the Gilgit side, had been a bone of contention but there was no question in whose jurisdiction did Shandur fall.

The commission would meet again next month to decide the matter once and for all, he said.

Chitral was represented at the meeting by NWFP home secretary, the district Nazim, the district coordination officer and the local union council Nazim. Gilgit was represented by the chief secretary, a representative of the Northern Light Infantry and some members of the NA Council.