During summer, a large number of VIPs visit Chitral. Many are here for the Shandur Polo Festival. All the VIPs use either Chowni Helipad or Balach airport and then travel to Chitral on dilapidated roads.

The district administration ignores these conditions but it is surprising even the VIPs have given no importance to these terrible roads. In the past, at the time of the polo festival, repairs would start on these roads, but for the last two years this practise has also been discarded.

From Chowni Helipad to Chitral Bazaar the condition of the road is extremely poor. From Balach to Chitral town the road was repaired last year but due to the poor quality of work, wear and tear has begun.

In the case of Booni road, it was constructed by a Chinese company, and has been in use for 30 years but its condition is still good except in a few areas where floods and falling rocks have damaged it.

During previous  governments, work on Golan Gole water supply was begun but work has not been completed and the people of Chitral are facing serious problems owing to the non-availability of drinking water. The Sarhad Rural Support Program in Chitral facilitated the digging of wells in some places which helped ease the situation.

Government officials have lost interest in serving the public, but as tax payers and citizens of the country we have the right to ask them to redress the grievances of the Chitralis.

Nasir Mehmood

Drosh, Chitral

Published in Dawn, June 23rd , 2014