CHITRAL: Hundreds of local activists of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf have rejected the selection of office-bearers of Lower Chitral district chapter of the party, saying it did not reflect aspirations of the workers.

During a workers convention held at a local hotel, party leaders, including Isra Saboor, Haji Sultan, Israr Kasana, Yaqoob Khan, Gul Nawaz and Nazeer Ahmed, expressed their dismay over the attitude of central and regional organisers for appointing office-holders of their own choice.

They said that the names of the handpicked office-bearers were even not included in the list of candidates at the time of election which were held in presence of the same central organiser who had announced the results.

They warned that disregarding aspirations of the workers would prove detrimental for the party’s unity.

On this occasion, they handed over a memorandum signed by hundreds of party workers to Shahzada Sikandarul Mulk to hand it over to central chief organiser Saifullah Khan Niazi.

SHANDUR PASS: The Shandur Pass road will be opened to traffic next week, as the debris of avalanches, which hit and covered the road during winter, has been removed from it.

Upper Chitral deputy commissioner Shah Saud told this correspondent that presently the Shandur Pass, connecting with Ghizar district of Gilgit-Baltistan, had been opened for pedestrians who were screened at the checkpost before entering the district.

He said that after opening it to vehicular traffic, an arrangement would be put in place to screen the passengers for coronavirus at Shandur Top so that no infected person could enter the district from GB.

He said that a large number of people from Upper Chitral visited different areas of GB in winter for earning livelihood as labourers and returned in late May and June.

Published in Dawn, June 7th, 2020