CHITRAL, Dec 5: Chitral police came under fire from the public in an ‘open kutchery’ conducted by the local MNA Abdul Akbar Chitrali and the two MPAs Maulana Abdur Rehman and Maulana Jahangir Khan here on Friday.

The people complained that the local police was responsible for lawlessness, corruption, price hike and, worst of all, the acute shortage of firewood.

They also expressed their dissatisfaction over the procedure and credibility of constables’ recruitment, done recently, in which, they alleged, bribe influenced selection.

The MNA also expressed his displeasure over the efficiency of police. He said that it had failed to protect the life, property and honour of the people. He said that wine was being manufactured and sold in the district with impunity, and this could not be done without police’s tacit consent.

He warned the district police officer, present on the occasion, to improve the department within a short span of time or face action. Complaints were also made about the departments of food, Zakat, forest, irrigation and Wapda.

The hall reverberated with the clapping of those present when the MNA asked the DCO to initiate action against the chairman of district Zakat committee.

The MNA also gave a deadline of two months to the food department to redress the grievances of the public and check corrupt ways and means failing which they will not be spared.

The district heads of all the provincial and central governments were present who responded to the queries of their respective departments.