CHITRAL: Protest against cancellation of C-130 flights for Chitral
By Zahiruddin
CHITRAL, Jan 14: PIA’s C-130 aircraft flights to Chitral were cancelled for the 10th consecutive day on Sunday causing disappointment to stranded passengers in Chitral and Peshawar.
The reason given for the cancellation of flights is bad weather, but the ATR-72 aircraft is flying daily between Peshawar and Chitral.
With the closure of Lowari pass in December, the district is cut off from the rest of the country.
Though one can travel through the Kunar province of Afghanistan to Peshawar, but everyone cannot use the route for security reasons and the long and tedious journey of 15 hours.
Stranded passengers in Chitral said that PIA was totally indifferent to their plight and they could have been sent on the ATR flights.
Passengers at the Peshawar airport held a demonstration and refused to leave the departure lounge when the flight was cancelled.
MNA Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali told Dawn on telephone from Peshawar that Chitralis would hold a protest demonstration in Peshawar on Monday.
Criticising the PIA administration for its indifference, the MNA from Chitral said that the stranded passengers were going through ordeals and many of them faced financial crunch due to their prolonged stay in Peshawar.
He said the matter would be taken up in the National Assembly.
