CHITRAL: The state-run Pakistan Post has permanently shut down three of its critical branches in remote villages of Chitral, leaving thousands of residents in the lurch without access to essential letter and parcel services.

The closed facilities located in Ashrait and Ayun in Lower Chitral and Brep in Upper Chitral served as the sole communication lifelines for some of the most isolated border communities in Pakistan including the rugged Broghil Valley.

Confirming the development to Dawn, the senior postmaster of the Chitral General Post Office, Mujeebur Rehman, stated that the permanent closures were driven entirely by persistent financial losses over the last several years. He explained that the revenue generated by these specific branches lagged far behind their operational expenditures.

To mitigate the impact, the senior postmaster noted that the geographical areas previously under the jurisdiction of these three defunct facilities would now be merged into the nearest operational postal branches to ensure continuity of service.

However, local residents and community leaders strongly rejected the decision, expressing profound anguish over the government’s move to prioritise commercial profitability over public service.

The closure of the Brep branch in Upper Chitral has sparked particular alarm due to extremely difficult terrain of the area. Muhammad Wazir Khan, a former member of the Chitral Zilla Council from Yarkhoon, described the decision as “disastrous” for the communities of Upper Yarkhoon, Lower Yarkhoon and the Broghil valley.

“Following the closure at Brep, the nearest functional post office is located in Mastuj,” Khan stated. “Mastuj is roughly 150 kilometres away from the Broghil region.”

The former councillor said the closure would particularly affect educated young people who have applied for jobs in various government departments. “For a young person waiting for a job opportunity, missing a test or interview call can be disastrous,” he said.

Local leaders warned that the closures would trigger a cascade of socio-economic challenges as hundreds of students in these remote valleys are enrolled in distance learning institutions such as the Allama Iqbal Open University.

Moreover, working-class labourers employed in cities across the country and overseas also rely on the state-run postal network as an affordable means of communication with their families.

In Lower Chitral, the shutdown of the Ayun branch has dealt a severe blow to the indigenous Kalash valleys of Bumburate, Birir, and Rumbur.

Rahmat Elahi, former chairman of the Kalash Valley Development Programme (KVDP), emphasised that the Ayun facility was the central communication hub for the entire Kalash region.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd, 2026