PESHAWAR, Dec 16: Advanced French aircraft will replace ageing turboprop planes on Chitral route in March, says a tehsil nazim. Tehsil nazim of Mastooj, Shehzada Sikandarul Mulk said eight new aircraft would be used for air travel after March 2006 as Fokker planes were outdated.

A delegation of tehsil nazims headed by Maghfirat Shah, district nazim of Chitral held a press conference here at Peshawar Press Club.

Mr Shehzada said that the number of flights to the area would increase which would boost the tourism in the area. The accessibility to the beautiful district would improve the economic condition of the people.

Mr Maghfirat Shah said that the delegation had met Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz yesterday ( Thursday) and apprised him of the problems of the district. They were accompanied by Abdul Akbar Chitrali, an MNA from Chitral.

The meeting also discussed issues relating to Chitral’s development. The meeting, he said, also discussed problems faced by the local government representatives.

The Chitral district had a vast mineral and hydro-electric generation potential which needed exploration, Mr Shah said.

Mr Shehzada said that prime minister during the meeting asked the local government representatives to maintain law and order situation in the district.

“The prime minister called for improving the sectarian harmony in the district to make it a tourists’ spot”, said Mr Shehzada.

The prime minister promised that he would visit the district some time next year in May. The prime minister promised a special grant for development projects, provision of natural gas cylinders and seven bulldozers to be used for clearing roads during heavy snowfall.

The federal government, he said, had also promised to set up water filtration plants for Chitral area to provide clean drinking water.

The prime minister had also approved the carpeting of the road between Bunni and Laskote areas, Sartaj Ahmed Khan, another tehsil nazim of lower Chitral said.