CHITRAL, Nov 12: Hundreds of candidates appearing in the written tests to be conducted by the National Testing Service (NTS) for monitoring officers in the elementary education department of the province have demanded setting up of examination centre in Chitral.

Talking to Dawn here on Tuesday, they said that over 500 candidates, both male and female, had applied for the posts, who have been called for written test on 24th of the current month in Peshawar.

Khurshid Ali said while a male candidate would have to spend about Rs10,000 to travel to Peshawar for appearing in the test, a female candidate spent almost double the amount as a male relative accompanied her.

He said that the number of candidates was quite enough to have an examination centre in the district to save the prospective candidates from the ordeal of travelling to Peshawar. He feared that large number of candidates might lose the chance of appearing in the test on financial grounds. Haider Zaman from Drosh town said he would have to seek loan from relatives and friends to proceed to Peshawar to appear in the test.

He said the Lowari Pass road was quite unpredictable as it was closed for vehicular traffic even if it rained for only an hour and in that a case their expenses almost doubled as they had to wait for the opening of the road.

AZAM HOTI CRITICISED: The president of the women wing of Awami National Party, Chitral chapter, Khadija Sardar has castigated Senator Azam Khan Hoti for ‘scandalising’ the party’s top leadership, including Asfandyar Wali Khan.

In a press statement issued here on Tuesday, she said Azam Hoti was poised to disparage the party leaders at the behest of some elements, which she said, the workers of ANP would foil.

Reposing her full confidence in the leadership of Asfandyar Wali and Afrasiab Khattak, she said the ANP workers in Chitral were united under a single banner and rejected all the allegations against their leaders.—Correspondent