Chitral outclassed Gilgit winning the tournament by 9 Goals

The shandur polo festival comes to end with a victory trophy in the hands of Chitralies. Chitral remained aggressive throughout the game restricting the oponent to just 2 goals. Chitral wins the tournament for the four consecutive years. There was a great number of spectators, mostly local while few international tourists attended the festival. The roof of the world, Shandur was full of security personnel to make the security certain. The Pakistani newspapers rumoured around that Prime Minister Gilani would attend the festival. however, he did not show off. Salim Khan, a minister from NWFP was the chief guest who announced 100,000 for the winning team.

Ghizar Beats Laspur Polo team at Shandur while Chitral B deafets Gilgit B

CHITRAL: The three days Shundor polo festival began in the highest polo ground of the world here on Tuesday. 

On the first day, two matches were played between four teams. The first match was played between Ghizar polo team of Northern Areas versus Laspur polo team of Chitral.

Ghizar team defeated Laspur with 11 goals to two.  The second match was played between Chitral B polo team and Gilgit B. Chitral B defeated Gilgit B polo team with 14 goals to 2 goals. 

The matches were witnessed by sufficient number of polo fans on the first day. The people and tourists are coming in large number to watch the centuries old polo games.

Special arrangements of food and accommodations have been made for the polo lovers at Shandoor. Tight security arrangements have been made for the event.

Taliban Slaughter Four Chitrali Passengers in Bajaur

CHITRAL: In a very unfortunate incident, four Chitralis were slaughtered by Taliban in Bajaur. According to reports, the Chitralis were travelling to Peshawar from Chitral. They got into a wagon in Timergarah for Peshawar. When they reached Mandal Khawar area of Khar tehsil, the militants waylaid the vehicle and asked if there is any Chitrali in the wagon. Later, they checked the ID cards of the passengers and pulled the Chitralis down and killed them. Two of the ill-fated Chitralis were brothers and belonged to Karimabad in Garam Chashma; one was from Shogram and the fourth was a resident of Kosht. Those  who were slained included Syed Hussain son of Syed Ameeri and Syed Anwar Hussain son of Syed Ameri residents of Karimabad, Abdul Jalil son of Qazi Khan resident of Kosht and Jamshid Ahmad son of Muhammad Khan resident of Shogram. It is unfolding why the Chitralies were singled out to be slaughtered. Multiple factors could be the catalyst for the barbaric happenings including  target killing based on a specific fraternity affiliation. The bodies of the victims have been dispatched to Chitral.

Chitrali people were optimistic about the opening of the Lowari Tunnel, the only to-be link of the region that would connect it with the rest of the country. However, the existing extreme hatred at the other mouth of the tunnel(lower and upper Dir and Swat) blures their image politically and economically.

Independent Commission to resolve the boundaries of Diamer Bhasha Dam. BNF

Gilgit: Burhanullah Khan, Central General Secretary Gilgit Baltistan Democratic Alliance  has demanded for a  partial and independent commission to resolve the conflict over Bhasha Dam and its boundaries. Mr. Burhan said that if the government continues the coercible construction of the dam, it will have to face serious reaction locally. The people of Gilgit Baltistan would not allow to use their land for the benefits of others. The region is a disputed area where expansionists cannot embark on developments which further escalate tension between the local people and other regions like Pokhtunistan. The dam constructed on the soil of Gilgit Baltistan would only benefit the Pokhtoonistan while displacing thousands of local people. Burhan appealed to the people of Chitral and Kohistan to stand by with Gilgit Baltistan based on their centuries old cultural, geographical and political relations with the region. Mr. Burhan termed the local leaders the Federal Puppets who only work for their personal political motives rather than struggling for the rights of the people of Gilgit Baltistan.The people of Gilgit Baltistan are disfranchised and deprived of the basic human rights even in the twenty first century. He said the GBDA would continue to push its 4-point agenda:  to establish a legislative Assembly, to restore the state subject rule, withdrawal of the bureaucracy and restoration of the historic routes.

Diamer Bhash Dam has stirred serious concerns among the local people and it seems an uphill to coax them unless their 62-year long deprivation and suppression is healed by the Government of Pakistan. The construction of the dam would displace thousands of the local people for the benefits of the people of other region.

Flight to Skardu, Passengers on board protest for unreasonable flight cancellation

Extending confort and exceeding customer satisfaction are the high priorities in modern transportation. Customers even expect more in the tourist destinations like the Gilgit Baltistan where 8 out of the 14 world’s highest mountains draw the global attention. The government monopoly over the communication and transportation system in this region has defaced the quality of service. It was not political when passengers on flight PK 451 heading to Sakardu,one of the best tourist destinations in Pakistan, went on protest upon the bureaucratic behaviour of Pakistan International Airlines. When every body seated in the plane, they were notified of one hour delay due to unknown reasons. few hours later, the flight was cancelled but the passenger refused to get off the plane. The crew proffered an excuse of violent weather, however, the weather was descent enough to fly to Gilgit Baltistan. The passenger chanted slogans against the PIA and their unacceptable behaviour. The crew of the flight started misbehaving the guests in the plane and later threatened them to hand over to Police but the passengers continued to protest in the plane. The lights and Aircon was turned off by the crew and the baggage of the passengers was thrown out. The news of the incident stirred among the political activists and they gathered around the airport to stand by the passengers in their protests. After 4 hours the passengers dispersed peacefully.

The plane contained international tourists and local people who usually fly for emergency purposes. It was a great embarrassment to the people of Gilgit Baltistan whose international image is disfigured by little things which are not in their hands. There are only two flights a day between Skardu and Islamabad and most of the time the flights are cancelled for unknown reasons.

Shandur Polo Festival appears to be hijacked by NWFP

Shandur Polo Festival at the roof of the world has earned a global recognition for Chitralies and Gilgities over years.  The Shandur Festival is a shared Gala of people of Chitral and the people of Ghizar District of Gilgit Baltistan where two giant polo teams encounter annually to test the power of their fist.  The festival is held on the eve of the final polo match between Gilgit and Chitral.

 To give a reverence to the great martyrds of Ghizar and share the sorrows with their families, the people had demanded the authorities not to hold the festival. ” At this sad juncture, when each day we receive a dead body of a soldier from Ghizar who dies in the ongoing offensive we do not want the world come and dance on over heads(Shandur Pass). It would mean rubbing salt into our wounds. We want it to be  postponed”, said a local leader. Since the festival belongs to them, they should have a say in it and their demands should have been respected.

On the other side of the border, Chitral District government and local leaders in a meeting unanimously recommended the government not to hold the festival this year in the mist of the security issues.  Chitral District Nazir, Maghfirat Shah has confirmed that the security forces would not be able to give a a fail-safe security to the participants of the Gala. ” We want the continuation of the Gala, thats why we are opposing it” Maghfirat Shah was quoted by the News International.

“I appeal to the people of Chitral, to the Provincial Government and to the Federal Government to postpone Shandur festival for the time being. At least good sense should prevail to take stock of the situation, when our young soldiers are being targeted by rebels every day, when our land is red with blood of our martyrs and our graveyards are green with Pakistani flags on the graves of martyrs, how can we celebrate Jashn-e-Shandur at such a moment”  a citizen of Chitral, Mr. Bashir Hussain wrote to Chitral Times.

But who cares, NWFP government  has imposed this festival on the innocent people of Chitral and Ghizar District. This is your culture but let’s  play with it was a clear message. Against the will of the people, It has been decided to hold the festival on July 7,2009.  The festival appears to be hijacked.

Don’t ignore peaceful Chitral in fund allocation

By Zar Alam Khan
ISLAMABAD: Though exemplary peace prevails in Chitral, one of the districts of the Malakand division, the violence and subsequent military operation in Dir and Swat have left a devastating effect on the poverty-stricken people of the valley.
Chitral’s location among the rugged Hindukush mountains keeps it cut off from rest of the country for half of the year in winter. This year, however, Chitralis remain stranded even in summer due to the military operation in the Malakand division. Inside the valley, road infrastructure, healthcare and educational facilities are almost non-existent. The government allocates funds for districts on the basis of their populations due to which Chitral gets a paltry sum every year. However, with the operation in the region nearing conclusion, the residents of Chitral expect that the federal government would announce a special package to compensate the losses which they have suffered due to blockade of roads and collapse of the tourism industry.
Area-wise Chitral is the largest district of the NWFP and accounts for nearly 60 per cent of the Malakand division. Unlike the violence-affected districts, Chitral borders three lawless Afghan provinces of Kunar, Nooristan and Badakhshan in the west. It also opens through numerous passes to militancy-hit Swat and Dir districts in the southeast and south. When seen in such a geographical setting, Chitral could have very easily become a centre of attraction and safe haven for the fleeing Taliban militants. However, the people of the valley played their collective role in maintaining peace in the area.
MNA from Chitral Shahzada Mohiuddin says time has come people of Chitral should be rewarded for their role in maintaining peace under the prevailing circumstances. “Otherwise, there is a danger that they would start thinking that peace has failed to bring them any dividend.” Should taking arms, breaking the law, killing innocent people and blowing up schools are a prerequisite to bring in development? There is a danger that the sense of deprivation can drive people towards a negative approach to attain their rights, he added.
In a letter to Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance Shaukat Tarin, Mr Mohiuddin hailed the decision of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani for allocating Rs50 billion for the Malakand division but warned that his area should not be excluded from the package because Chitral has indirectly suffered unprecedented economic losses due to the violence. He said at least 5 per cent of the amount should be set aside to make for the economic losses the current turmoil in the region has caused to Chitral.
He also urged Federal Minister for Information Qamar Zaman Kaira and Lt-Gen Nadeem Ahmed of the Special Support Group not to ignore Chitral while allocating the funds for development of the violence affected districts.

Conservationists express concern over threat to predators, scavengers

GILGIT: Conservationists in Northern Areas yesterday expressed concern about the threat predating and scavenging animals face from human vengefulness when livestock owners poison the carcasses of killed animals to punish the predators. Carnivores play a critical role in the ecosystem. They remove sick and injured animals through predation, scavenge to remove disease-carrying dead carcasses, and eat species (such as rodents) that can negatively affect people’s livelihoods through damage to crops and as vectors of disease. Large carnivores such as the snow leopard are also cultural icons in Pakistan, and are a part of the country’s natural and cultural heritage and should be preserved in their own right. Recently in Gais Goharabad, a remote valley in Diamer District, unknown predators attacked live stock, killing and injuring a number of domestic animals. This resulted in heavy losses to the marginalised communities who are solely dependent on livestock rearing. A community-based Wildlife Conservation and Social Development Organization (WCSDO-G) Gais has reported that in response to the attack on livestock the local poor shepherds poisoned the remnants of the killed animals. This method of retaliation to predators results in poisoning of a number of other, non-target fauna species, including other predators and scavengers in the region, including vultures, crows, eagles, wild cats, foxes, etc. In order to address this human-predator conflict the Mountain Conservation and Development Programme (MCDP) chairman, Jamil Ahmed and Programme Manager Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Mayoor Khan, called to educate herdsmen about the dangers of this practice. They have made recommendations as both organisations are jointly working on natural resources conservation and its sensible utilisation in the Gilgit-Baltistan specifically in Diamer and Gilgit districts.

Source: The paninsula,Qatar’s leading news daily

Koreans refuse to restart work on Lowari Tunnel

By Zar Alam Khan
ISLAMABAD, June 27: A meeting held to discuss resumption of work on the Lowari Rail Tunnel project here on Saturday failed to persuade the Korean company officials to return to the site.
The Koreans Sambu company officials expressed their inability to move to the site in Upper Dir and resume work due to security concerns, a participant of the meeting told this correspondent.
However, on the assurance of the elected representatives from Chitral and Dir that they would be provided foolproof security, the Korean consultants and workers sought more time to reach the final decision after consulting their government, he added.
The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Communication Dr Arbab Alamgir Khan, Minister of State for Communication Chaudhry Imtiaz Safdar Waraich, Minister for Frontier Regions Najmuddin Khan from Dir; MNA Shahzada Mohiuddin and MPA Ghulam Mohammad from Chitral, besides the chairman and other officials of the National Highway Authority (NHA).
Work on the project was suspended with the launch of the ongoing military operation in Malakand division. The Korean Sambu company officials and consultants from other countries, who have been shifted to Islamabad after suspension of the work, referred to media reports of law and order situation and killings in the region and expressed their inability to move back to the site to resume work.
When told by the representatives from Chitral that there was complete peace in their valley and they could restart the work from the northern portal, the Koreans maintained that due to the prevailing security situation and curfew in the Malakand division, supply of construction material and other equipment from Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi had stopped.
The first phase of the project was completed in January this year and the second and final phase was to finish in 2010 according to the original plan. However, the suspension of work on the project for an indefinite period due to the current security situation in the tunnel’s southern site in Upper Dir has created concerns among the people of Chitral that the tunnel may not be completed on time.

Pakistan Army runs Army Public School in Hundur Yasin

By Naveed Hussain, Yasin Valley: In the honour of the bravery of Lalak Jan Shaheeed (Nishan-e-Haider) in the Kargil episode,the then government had promised to establish Army Public school in Hundur Yasin.After a decade,at last this very promise became a reality and Army personnel started Primary classes in a government building.
Its worth mentioning here that,although many schools have been established in Yasin region but due to negligence of concerned high authorities and representatives,the prolonged dream of quality education could not become a reality.

It is expected that this new establishment  will prop up the stooping standards of  basic education with adequate resources, both human and material.

Famous Italian mountaineer Michele Fait died while he was skiing down from K2 with climbing mate Fredrik Ericsson

Image of Italian Michele Fait in Skardu about three weeks ago, courtesy of Fredrik Ericssons website

K2, Skardu: Famous Italian  mountaineer Michele Fait died while skiing down from K2 with climbing mate Fredrik Ericsson.

Ericsson and Fait had originally hoped to acclimatize on Laila Peak but went straight for K2 after they were denied trekking permit for Laila. They reached K2 base camp two weeks ago, and began preparing for the upcoming climb and ski-descent.

Last week, they skied 900 meters from Camp 1 after spending a night at 6,000 meters. “The snow was better than we had expected, cold and just a little windpacked… I had a big smile on my face, cause even if only a third of the mountain, we were skiing on K2,” Ericsson reported then.

The climbers set up C2 in a second climb this week. They were skiing back to BC yesterday when Michele suddenly plummeted.

Fredrik and FTA’s leader Fabrizio Zangrilli reportedly reached Michele after only 20 minutes, but could only confirm death. Michele was buried on the mountain this morning by a team of 9 climbers, including fellow ski-mountaineer Swedish Fredrik Ericsson. Courtesy of (Jang, Dawn, Ericson Web site, K2 Mountaineering News)

 

Shakeel, the mastermind of Asad Zaidi’s murder, Arrested in Gilgit

Gilgit City police has arrested the murderer of Asad Zaidi in a raid on his house. The police was secretly informed that Mr. Shakeel has returned to his home located at Park Hotel Road, Kashrote, upon which a special task force was engineered to arrest him successfully. In the darkness of the dead night, the perpetrator attempted to escape but  in vain.  Two of the security personnel got minor injuries during the operation who are under treatment in DHQ Hospital Gilgit. Police is also in search of Faizan and Farooq,the two other abetors  who have gone under ground.

A 21-Year Old Girl from Ishqamen paralyzed by a wrong injection

Gilgit, June 22: Behzad Shah, father of 21 years old Seerat Bano, a resident of Ishkoman – Ghizar, has accused a doctor of the government hospital Chatorkhand of injecting ‘wrong medicine’ to his daughter, causing severe body paralysis.

Seerat Bano, paralyzed, is dangling between life and death at the Aga Khan Hospital – Gilgit, where she has been brought by her father after the alleged wrong treatment at the Chatorkhand Hospital. “I took her to the DHQ Hospital”, said Behzad Shah, “but they were of no help so I had to bring her here”.

Behzad Shah, coming from low income strata of the society, is unable to bear the expenses of treating his daughter’s paralysis, which the doctors are trying to reverse. Behzad Shah has appealed to the Chief Executive and Health Secretary “to order legal action against Dr Saeed, to avoid such incidents in the future”. He has also sought financial help from the government and other organizations for treatment of Seerat Bano.  Pamir Times (Courtesy)

Prince Karim Aga Khan, Now Canadian Citizen

Prince Karim Aga Khan

OTTAWA (AFP) — Canada’s parliament on Friday extended honorary Canadian citizenship to the Aga Khan, imam of the world’s Shia Ismaili Muslims, said a statement.

“This is recognition of the Aga Khan’s leadership as a champion of development, pluralism and tolerance around the world and of his remarkable leadership as Imam of the worldwide Ismaili community,” said Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

“In particular, we are grateful for the immense contribution the Aga Khan Development Network is making in Afghanistan, as we work together to help the people of that country build a better future,” he said.

The Aga Khan, Prince Karim Al Husseini, 72, is the spiritual head of the world’s 15 million Ismaili Muslims.

He is the fourth such person to hold the post since the 19th century.

Ismailis make up the world’s second largest Shia grouping and are spread throughout 25 countries.

Previously, only four people have ever been extended honorary Canadian citizenship: Myanmar pro-democracy activist and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi last year, and before that Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, and Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, who saved the lives of thousands of Jews during the Second World War.

Most Canadian Ismaili Muslims arrived in this country after being forced out of Uganda by its former ruler Idi Amin in the 1970s. They now number roughly 70,000 in Canada.

Canada has partnered with the Aga Khan’s agencies on development projects in Asia, Africa and Afghanistan, as well as to promote ethnic, cultural and religious tolerance. Courtesy of AFP, OTTAWA

Newly appointed Vice-chancellor of KIU speaks to the dignitaries

Naveed Hussain, Gilgit: After taking the responsibilty of the vice-chancellorship of Karakuram International University Gilgit,Mrs. Dr.Najma Najam had her introductory session with the high officials of the university here in Musharaf Hall on Friday.While in her speech she said that she has joined KIU with a broad and new vision.So,she will do her best in the accomplishment of the tasks and challenges lying ahead.She is envisioned to make KIU an internationally recognized,exemplary and resourceful university and in this regard she is optimistic to have full cooperation from the faculty members.
It is to be mentioned here that Dr.Najma Najam by being the founding Vice-chancellor of Fatima Jinnah University has a prodigious experience of teaching and managing,so her services will certainly take the university upto the climax of success.
Likewise,the students of the university are pleased to have such a pedagogue as their head.”Under the supervision of Dr.Najma Najam the students will have the congenial environment of studies and soon the university will gain fame in the nook and cranny of the world”,said M.Aslam Astori(MBA 3rd) and Shakeel Ahmad (BBA Hons).