CHITRAL: The residents of Laspur Valley resumed the construction of a community corral in Shandur pasture here on Thursday.

Work came to a halt two days ago after the Ghizar district administration from Gilgit-Baltistan “intruded” on the area along with a heavy police contingent, according to residents.

Chairman of the Laspur village council Mohammad Wazir told Dawn that the valley’s residents rebuilt walls of the corral following their demolition by the GB administration.

He said the area had the ruins of a community corral, which collapsed due to heavy winter snowfall.

Mr Wazir said the corral was meant to protect the cattle from predators and rains.

He said an NGO provided a small grant for the structure contrary to claims of the GB administration.

The council head said the residents of Laspur met with local MPA and deputy speaker of the provincial assembly Suriya Bibi in her office in Peshawar and demanded her intervention to prevent such incidents in the future.

When contacted, Upper Chitral DC Haseebur Rehman Khan Khalil said an amicable solution to the issue was being sought through talks between the administrations of Upper Chitral and Ghizar.

He said the Ghizar administration committed the “mistake of intruding on the Upper Chitral area without informing the local administration and demolishing the walls of the corral.”

Mr Khalil said it was the responsibility of the district administration to act against illegal construction in the area if there was any.

Meanwhile, the bus shuttle service between Mastuj town (Upper Chitral) and Gilgit has resumed after a break caused by tensions in Shandur pasture.

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2024