CHITRAL, March 6: The local chapter of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) stands divided over the issue of allotment of party tickets in the district for the upcoming general elections, according to sources.

They say that workers of PPP in Chitral, having two seats of provincial assembly and one of National Assembly, are confused and don’t know as to who will be their candidates in the general polls.

Former tehsil nazim Sartaj Ahmed Khan told Dawn that the district was a stronghold of PPP since its establishment as party’s founder Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had started work on Lowari tunnel project in 1975 and visited Chitral seven times when during his government.

However, the party always performed poorly in the elections owing to split among its workers over award of tickets, he said, adding that a parallel candidate was always fielded against the one nominated by the party.

“Unfortunately it is going to happen again,” Mr Khan said. He added that convention of PPP workers was not convened to know their views about the would-be candidates.

He said that absence of PPP district president and Provincial Minister Salim Khan from the recently held meeting of workers despite his presence in the town was a bad omen as it showed that the workers were still divided.

He said that the district president had failed to keep the workers united.

CHECKPOINT: The management of Chitral Gol National Park has set up a checkpoint on the road leading to the park to keep away poachers.

An official told Dawn that the checkpoint was set up after the recent poaching of markhor in the park. Some motorists had entered the park and sped away after hunting a 10-year-old markhor, he said.

The Gol National Park has the highest population of Kashmir Markhor, whose number has exceeded 2,000.

The gate would remain locked after sunset, the official said, adding that unauthorised persons would not be allowed to enter the park in the nighttime.

Another official of wildlife department said that the checkpoint would help in checking movement of snow leopard in the human settlements. He snow leopards descend to the lower altitude after heavy snowfall.