PESHAWAR: Elders of Madak Lusht valley of Lower Chitral have warned of starting a protest campaign if the provincial government goes ahead with its proposed 14-kilometre-long cable car project to connect the Kumrat valley of Upper Dir to their area.

Speaking at a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club on Wednesday, a group of elders feared that the project would deprive about 180 families of their houses.

“We will not allow anyone to demolish our houses for the cable car project,” elder Mir Azar Khan warned.

Flanked by other elders, Mir Azar revealed that the district administration had imposed Section 4 for acquiring 540 kanals of land in their valley. He said the government wanted to boost tourism in the area but it was least bothered to keep in view the concerns of the locals.

He said the government also planned to acquire another 640 kanals of agricultural land for the project.

The elder said the people would be forced to leave the area if the project started as it will destroy the local culture.

“We have time and again tried to meet the relevant officials, but failed to do so,” he lamented and added it was duty of the provincial government to take the local population on board before starting the project.

Mir Azar warned that in case the provincial government did not pay serious heed towards the demands of local population then the people would launch a protest movement.

He also appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan and Prime Minister Imran Khan to take notice of the issue.

“We will start a hunger strike in case the project is started,” the elder warned.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2021