CHITRAL: Activists of different political parties, including PML-N and Pakistan Peoples Party, held a protest rally here against the government for abandoning establishment of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) plants at three places in Chitral.

The project was planned by the previous Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government.

Led by Qazi Waqar and others, the protesters chanted slogans against the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government as the protest march turned into a public meeting in front of the local press club.

The speakers condemned the move and said that provision of LPG through the plants at cheaper rate was the best solution to check deforestation in the district.

They said the people of Chitral had no option other than chopping the oak and deodar trees for heating and cooking purposes while natural gas was to replace the wood in the kitchen thereby preserving environment.

They said the previous PML-N government had acquired land and bought equipment and commissioning of the project was planned when the PTI government took over and stopped further work on it.

The protesters set a one-month deadline to the government for starting work on the project.

REVENUE STAFF: Patwaris and other revenue staff announced to go on pen-down strike from Feb 8 for acceptance of their demands, including regularisation of their services.

The patwaris and qanungos here on Saturday held a meeting with their vice-president Mehmood Khan in the chair.

They claimed that the government was using delaying tactics in implementation of the orders of high court to regularise their services.

They added that as a pressure tactic by the government, the president of their association Qadir Aman was fired from service and many others were suspended on one pretext or the other.

They demanded regularisation of their services and reinstatement of their colleagues.

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2021