PESHAWAR, Dec 3: Fearing shortage of essential items in Chitral district, Qaumi Watan Party chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao on Tuesday asked the provincial government to open the Lowari tunnel to traffic after the closure of Lowari Top.

In a statement issued here on Tuesday, he asked the government to open the Lowari tunnel so that edibles could be transported to the province’s largest district.

“The Lowari Top is about to close and the provincial government has not taken any step to make arrangements for transportation of essential items to the valley,” Mr Sherpao said.

He said that Chitral would be cut off from the rest of the country if snowfall took place as it would block the only land route through the Lowari Top.

The QWP chief said that Chitralis faced difficulties in travelling to their hometown owing to closure of the Lowari tunnel. He said that the tunnel should be reopened to facilitate the people travelling to Chitral.

He also expressed concern over the limited number of PIA flights to Chitral. “The government should increase the number of flights to the valley,” Mr Sherpao said. He recalled that he had initiated helicopter service to the valley when he was chief minister of the province.

“The government should understand the problems of the people of the strategically important district in all possible way as they had been ignored over the years,” he added.

Mr Sherpao said that government should complete work on Lowari tunnel project to facilitate the local population. “The completion of Lowari tunnel project would not only develop the district, but also bring it at par with the rest of the country,” he maintained.

The QWP chief said that closure of Lowari tunnel would create shortage of food items in the scenic valley. He added that the government should take steps to mitigate the sufferings of Chitralis.

Mr Sherpao said that his party would continue to raise voice for removing the sense of deprivation among the Pakhtuns and other ethnic groups living in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.