CHITRAL, March 28: Spiralling prices and non-availability of essential items in Chitral have hit the people of Chitral hard. The area faces an acute shortage of essential commodities during the closure period of Lowari Pass from the month of December to April every year.

Keeping in view its topography, the government of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had sanctioned subsidy on wheat, sugar, ghee, salt, rice and kerosene oil. These items used to be stored in sufficient quantity before the closure of Lowari Pass for the season and used to be supervised and controlled by the deputy commissioner.

During his second tenure as prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, withdrew the subsidy on all commodities except wheat.

Since then, the entire population of the district is held hostage by a few hoarders and profiteers. The replacement of the old district administration by the new system of district government has worsened the situation.

The nazims are devoid of administrative skills and prone to political expediency. They evince lack of will and ability to take decisions and their plans mostly meet with failure.

The year the district government took over, the price of 50 kilogram of local fuel wood rose from Rs 65 to Rs 140. The shortage of the commodities is the phenomenon, which repeats itself every year during the closure of Lowari Pass.

The half-hearted measures of the district government have failed to check hoarding.

During the recent crisis of the shortage of sugar, hundreds of bags of the item were concealed by hoarders.

Finding the entire stock run out and pressed hard by the public pressure, the district government issued permit to a local trader to fetch it from Peshawar via Afghanistan.

No measure can rid the consumers of the greedy traders. The only remedy is the revival of the subsidy till the construction of the much-awaited Lowari Tunnel connecting Chitral with an all-weather road.