CHITRAL: The unemployed youth in all of Chitral’s villages have begun to migrate to down-country cities in order to make a living during the winter season.

Bulbul Khan, a social organiser for a development organisation based in Chitral, told Dawn that during the five-month-long winter season, it was common for the unskilled and raw workforce to travel to the cities of Peshawar, Rawalpindi/Islamabad, Lahore, and some areas of Punjab and Karachi.

He claimed that because of the severe weather, construction was halted throughout the winter, leaving a small portion of the crew unemployed and compelled to look for work in the down country.

He noted that until recently, these individuals’ earnings made up the majority of the local economy and, for many households, were their only source of income.

According to Mr Khan, builders preferred Chitrali labourers over others, and they faced no difficulty in finding jobs at construction sites in the down country, particularly in Punjab.

“While elderly people sold Chitrali patties in the streets, bazaars, and parks, many unemployed Chitrali youth worked as domestic helpers and salesmen in Peshawar city and the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad,” he claimed.

According to Munir Khan, a youth councillor from Upper Chitral, the young people’s involvement was extremely noteworthy, and their history dated back to the 1950s, when this valley was engulfed in poverty and destitution. He said that during these difficult times, they sent money home and this region had heavy dependence on these individuals.

He asserted that the mass migration of young people out of the villages before winter arrived created a gap in the vibrant section of society for the following five to six months.

Sabir Ahmed, the manager of Shahi Adda, the city’s main bus station, stated that they had sent out around twenty buses everyday to Peshawar and Rawalpindi, compared to the previous five to eight.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2024