CHITRAL: The people of Chitral have hailed the youth of the Shiekhandeh area of Bumburate valley for swiftly carrying ammunition and other paraphernalia of the security forces to the Astoi post located on the border with Afghanistan on the morning of Sept 6 when the militants of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan launched an attack on the security posts here.

Khalilur Rahman, chairman of Bumburate village council, told Dawn that when he came to know about the clash on the morning of that fateful day, he rushed to the Shiekhandeh post of security forces in his village and offered his services. “I was told that replenishment of ammunition and ration to the border post was to be made on an emergency basis.”

“Within a few minutes, about 60 young men assembled in front of the Shiekhandeh post and started carrying boxes of ammunition and sacks of other articles from there to the Astoi post,” he said, adding it took the youth three hours to reach the border post as there is no road up to that post.

He said none of the youth had taken his breakfast when they were asked to reach the Shiekhandeh post. He said the youth set on their journey on a constantly inclined terrain, but their passion and zest defied all the troubles and difficulties. Mr Rahman said the youth was so charged that they made two to three round trips to the post in Astoi without having food, replenishing the personnel with ammunition and other necessary items. “Even firing from the militants didn’t stop them from completing their noble mission.”

The Bumburate village chairman said on the second and third day of the incident, the Kalash people also joined the youth, and about 300 persons took part in carrying the articles up to the post.

Lower Chitral Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Ali Khan extolled the voluntary services of the residents of Bumburate Valley, especially the youth of Shiekhandeh. He said a special ceremony would be held to recognise the exemplary services rendered by the people of Bumburate.

Meanwhile, tourists have started visiting the Kalash valleys of Bumburate, Birir, and Rumbur as conditions have come to normalcy in the valleys after the skirmishes between the security forces and the TTP militants on the border near Bumburate on Sept 6.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2023