CHITRAL: The inquiry team, probing uploading of controversial material on social media, has given its recommendations after three weeks deliberations.

The controversial material, uploaded last month on social media, created unrest among the people across the district.

Briefing the local journalists about the recommendations of the team after its concluding session, District Police Officer Mansoor Aman said that the team consisted of district nazim, deputy commissioner, officials of intelligence agencies and police and religious leaders of both Sunni and Ismaili communities.

He said that the inquiry team was of the opinion that the material in question did not entail blasphemy in any way but at the same time it recommended initiation of criminal case against those people, who uploaded it, under cybercrimes law.

The DPO said that uploading of certain material on social media during arrival of the spiritual leader of Ismaili community Prince Karim Aga Khan last month, had tended to spark communal unrest in Chitral. The inquiry team was formed to examine the nature of the material and determine responsibility.

Mr Aman said that to ensure communal harmony in the area, an inter-community harmony council would be formed in the light of the recommendations of the team. The council would cope with any issue that popped up in future apart from educating youth to wisely use social media for which it would devise a strategy and mechanism, he added.

District nazim Maghfirat Shah, MPA Syed Sardar Hussain Shah, Maulana Jamshed Ahmed, retired Brigadier Khosh Mohammad Khan, Mohammad Afzal, Saeed Ahmed Khan, Advocate Mohammad Hakim and others were also present on the occasion.

SCHOLARSHIPS: The district government awarded scholarships to talented but poor students of Chitral, studying in public sector universities.

In this connection a function was held here on Wednesday wherein cheques were given to the students and their guardians by district nazim Maghfirat Shah, district naib nazim Maulana Abdul Shakoor and Additional Deputy Commissioner Minhasuddin. The nazim said that district government earmarked Rs1.9 million for granting scholarship to the talented but needy students as a large number of students discontinued their studies after graduation on financial grounds.

He said that social welfare department selected students for scholarships in a transparent manner.

Earlier, Nusrat Jabeen, the social welfare officer, told the gathering that district government had a number of plans to benefit people.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2018