LOWER DIR: Construction work on Chakdara and Timergara public parks began here on Monday.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan had on Nov 17 inaugurated the Chakdara park and a playground project to be completed at a cost of Rs40 million on 300 kanals of land situated opposite the Afghan refugee camp in Chakdara.

Assistant commissioner, Adenzai, Daud Saleemi along with a contingent of police was present on the occasion to avert any resistance from the landowners.

Earlier, the local residents had threatened to foil the inauguration of the park and playground as they said they were not ready to donate ‘their land’ for the project without being properly compensated.

Local MPA Humayun Khan had told journalists that the government had approved Rs40.5 million for the construction of park, but there was no compensation amount included in it.

The district administration had made it clear that since the park and the playground were being constructed on the land coming in the way of a dried stream the locals had no right over the land.

An official of Chakdara tehsil municipal administration said the park and the ground would be constructed on ‘barren’ land lying along the Chakdara bypass road.

Meanwhile, local youths thanked the government and the district administration for initiating work on the project.

Also on Monday, construction work on a public park in Timergara began.

Additional assistant commissioner, revenue, Tariq Khan opened the work.

The provincial government has allocated Rs59 million for the park being built on the state land. The district administration has already cleared the land from encroachments.

On the occasion, Tariq Khan said special persons would also be provided with sporting facilities at the park. He said work on the project would continue in two shifts to complete it as soon as possible.

SPORTS: The inter-departmental sports’ competitions concluded at the Malakand campus of the Riphah International University in Chakdara on Monday.

The varsity’s directorate of students organised the events.

Chairman students’ services department Dr Mushtaq Ali was the chief guest at the prize distribution function.

The winning and runner-up teams were awarded trophies and certificates. Cricket, tug-of-war, badminton, cooking, painting and quiz competitions were held among different departments of the varsity.

Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2022