CHITRAL: The Chitral district council on Tuesday demanded of the government to hold the Shandur festival through the district government to make it attractive for tourists.

The councillors lamented that the festival was losing its significance resulting in low turnout of spectators since it had been organised by the provincial government for last two years.

Presided by its convener Maulana Abdul Shakoor, the house passed a unanimous resolution pointing out that festival had successfully been arranged by the district government since 1980s as it was well aware of the culture and traditions of the area.

District nazim Maghfirat Shah came down hard on the provincial government and said the local government system put in place by it was an eye-wash as in practice the district governments were deprived of financial and administrative powers.

He said due to the faulty system a tussle was going on between the district government and the officers of district administration and police and the ultimate sufferers were the common people.

He lamented that the government was withholding funds meant for rehabilitation of infrastructure battered by the flash floods of 2015.

Earlier, the council members expressed concern over the unscheduled and prolonged power loadshedding in the district despite the availability of electricity after inauguration of 108MW Golen Gol hydropower station in February.

Published in Dawn, May 16th, 2018