CHITRAL: The residents of Golen valley have demanded of the government to take concrete measures in advance to mitigate their suffering in case of glacial lake outburst floods (Glof).

They were raising their issues during a khuli kutchery held in the area by Assistant Commissioner Mohammad Aftab Munir. They said that Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) time and again issued warnings regarding the occurrence of Glof as the valley was surrounded by glaciers, which had been declared to be hypersensitive.

They asked the administration to store essential commodities in the valley as roads and bridges could be washed away by devastating floods as happened in the past, severing the valley from other parts of the district. They also mentioned the dilapidated condition of roads leading to the valley, which had significance from tourist point of view.

Speaking on the occasion, the assistant commissioner said that all out efforts were under way in view of the Glof alerts issued by PDMA. He said that district administration was monitoring the situation closely.

He said that basic purpose of holding the forum in the remote valley was to have a close liaison with people and know the problems being faced by them related to any department of government.

DROWN: Three persons including two women died after drowning in the Chitral River to which they accidentally slipped into.

Locals said that a student of a girls college belonging to Attani village of Lower Chitral fell into the river while making video on the pedestrian bridge between Ayun and Ispagh Lasht villages.

In another incident, a lecturer of a local technical college identified as Abdul Wakil Suz lost his life while crossing a pedestrian bridge in Golen valley of Lower Chitral.

In another incident in Upper Chitral, a young woman fell into the river in Kosht village while crossing a pedestrian bridge.

In all the three cases, the dead bodies were recovered by locals and divers of Rescue 1122.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2025