PARACHINAR: General Officer Commanding Maj-Gen Azhar Abbasi has said that sectarian harmony is need of the hour to counter threats to the prevailing peace in Kurram Agency.

He was speaking at a ceremony held to hand over keys of 33 renovated shops, which were damaged during sectarian clashes in 2007, to the owners in Parachinar on Tuesday. The event was attended by elders of Turi and Bangash tribes.

Mr Abbasi emphasised the significance of sectarian harmony for both the Shia and Sunni sects in Kurram Agency. He said that internal and external threats to peace in the region could only be thwarted through harmony between them.

On this occasion, the local elders appreciated the efforts of law-enforcement agencies and the political administration for restoration of peace in the area.

TREE PLANTATION: The tree plantation campaign was kicked off in Chitral on Tuesday at a function where deodar saplings were planted by Col Rizwan of Pakistan Army and additional deputy commissioner Minhasuddin.

On this occasion, sub-divisional forest officer Umair Ahmed said that under the Billion Tree Tsunami Afforestation Project, plantation was successfully carried out in different parts of Chitral during the last four years. He claimed that the number of saplings planted in Chitral during the four years accounted for 26 per cent of the afforestation project. He said that arrangements had been made to protect the plants during the coming two years. Col Rizwan said that the Pakistan Army would extend all-out support to the forest department to make the plantation a success.

Published in Dawn, March 7th, 2018