CHITRAL: A shutdown strike was observed in Chitral city on Tuesday in protest against the government apathy towards the growing food shortage in the district as the trucks loaded with edibles are not allowed to pass through the Lowari tunnel by the National Highway Authority.

The call for the strike was given by the local traders union on the expiry of a deadline given to the government four days ago to allow passage of trucks.

The markets and roads in the city wore a deserted look, adding to the miseries of people.

Addressing the protesters at PIA Chowk, the traders’ union president Habib Hussain Mughal held the federal government responsible for causing food shortage in the district by not allowing passage of trucks through the tunnel. He said that over 400 trucks loaded with commodities of daily use were waiting on Dir side of Lowari tunnel for the last three weeks, but the National Highway Authority was not allowing them to proceed further.

Mr Mughal warned that the whole district would be closed down if the trucks were not allowed to bring food items to Chitral through the tunnel.  

VILLAGE SUBMERGED: Water submerged a part of Reshun village in upper Chitral after falling rocks from a hillock blocked flow of Chitral River.

Assistant commissioner, Mastuj, Minhasuddin told Dawn that the sudden explosion of hillock took place in the early hours on Tuesday due to intermittent rains, causing the rocks to roll down into the river, blocking its flow and submerging agricultural fields in Reshun village. He, however, said that houses remained safe as bulldozers and tractors were pressed into action to remove the rocks after they were dynamited into pieces to put the river water back on its normal course.

Mr Minhasuddin said that the Chitral-Booni road was so far safe from being submerged, but added that it may be affected if the debris from mountains kept rolling down into the river.

Meanwhile, the residents of Reshun said that they were woken out of their sleeps by a bang caused by an ‘explosion’ of the hillock.

Bulbul Saeed Khan, a villager, said that smoke continued to rise from the hillock, which spread over half a kilometer on the opposite side of the village.

He added that rocks started falling from the hill whenever there were rains, adding that the debris completely blocked the river flow, diverting the water towards the village.

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2015

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