CHITRAL: The destruction of a large number of houses across Chitral by the twin disasters of flash floods and earthquake, last year, has led to creation of numerous job opportunities for both the skilled and unskilled labour force in the district as the rebuilding process is in full swing.

The devastation also led to rapid expansion of businesses dealing with construction materials in Chitral city as numerous outlets have come up in every nook and corner to catch up with the high demand of such materials.

An official of an organisation working on a livelihood improvement project in upper Chitral, Gul Afzal Khan, told Dawn that 100 per cent workforce was engaged in the reconstruction activity.

He said no labourer went to the down districts this year for seeking job during the winter as they usually did because they had abundant such opportunities available locally.

As per record of the district administration, more than 20,000 houses had been damaged completely or partially by the earthquake in October 2015, while the flash floods in July and August of the same year washed away 22 villages rendering people homeless.

Most of the affected people started construction work, this year, after pooling resources which needed a large number of both skilled and unskilled labourers.

Abdur Razaq, a local distributor of construction materials, said as per his knowledge more than 100 outlets had opened in the city dealing with corrugated galvanised iron, cement, paints and ceiling sheets. He said the volume of demand for construction materials increased exponentially last year due to the flurry of construction work as tens of thousands of houses had been affected across the district.

Mr Razaq said a large number of non-government organisations also rushed to the help of the affected people of earthquake and they purchased construction materials in bulk.

Amirullah Khan, a former union nazim of Reshun, said carpenters and masons were in high demand in his village. He said the high demand for labour force had also led to increase in their rates by 50 to 70 per cent. Now, a carpenter earns Rs1,800 to Rs2,000 a day, he pointed out.

BORDER AREA VISIT: General Officer Commanding of Pak Army’s Swat Division, Maj-Gen Asif Ghafoor, visited the border areas of Baroghil, Yarkhoon Lusht and Shah Saleem on Friday.

Accompanied by Commandant of Chitral Scouts Col Nizamud Din Shah, he met the local people in the three villages and inquired about their problems and assured them of their solution.

On the occasion, he distributed food packages among the people and presented gifts to children.

Later, he held a meeting with the officers of district administration and police in headquarters of Chitral Scouts and discussed different matters, including the situation in the border areas.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2016