CHITRAL: On the fourth anniversary of the crash of PK-661 flight to Islamabad from Chitral, the people were seen sorrowful and grief-stricken as they were on the day of occurrence while different functions were held to commemorate and venerate the departed souls.

The activities started with a function in Osama Shaheed Park in which two smart contingents of Chitral Levies and police venerated the souls of the plane crash victims by salute which was taken by acting deputy commissioner Hayat Shah followed by the ceremony of laying floral wreath on Yadgar-i-Shuhada of the plane crash.

Quran Khwani was also held in a number of mosques and members of civil society visited the graves of the plane crash victims situated in different villages across Chitral where they placed floral wreath.

At a gathering in the town hall, the speakers including Commandant of Chitral Task Force Colonel Ali Zafar, acting DC Hayat Shah, director of Osama Shaheed Career Academy Fidaur Rahman and Numan Zain, the brother of one of the victims Salman Zain expressed their love and affection for those perished in the crash.

Mentioning the services of Osama Warraich as Chitral DC, they said that he endeared himself to the locals by his tireless and sincere efforts which he rendered for the betterment of the people and proved himself really a public servant.

They said that during a stint of one year, he delivered in all the fields of administration while the establishment of a public park and a career academy for promoting quality education would immortalise him in the history of Chitral while during the same period, he efficiently managed the huge disaster of the devastating earthquake.

Zulfiqar Cheema, the uncle of Osama Warraich, and Razia Junaid, the widow of the singer-turned-preacher Junaid Jamshed also addressed the function by telephone.

Of the 42 passengers of the crashed plane, 31 belonged to Chitral and most of them were the residents of Jang Bazar, Chew Doke, Bakrabad , Drosh, Garam Chashma, Zait, Booni, Junali Koch, Lone, Brep and Morder villages.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2020