Art and Craft Exhibition held in Chitral.

CHITRAL:  An Art and Craft exhibition was held here in a local hotel of Chitral to attract the masses and to empower women folk financially through promoting their skill and to extend their linkages to national and international market. The exhibition was financially supported by Tourism Corporation of Khyberpahtun Khwa. (TCKP) and was implemented by Chitral Association for Mountain Area Tourism (CAMAT). Different stake holders participated in the exhibition and displayed their master pieces of handicraft. They were Institute of Women Development Chitral (IWDC), Garamchishma Area Development Organization (GADO) and some other handicraft related organizations participated in the exhibition. Students from different schools of Chitral town visited the stalls in exhibition. As well as a number of guests also participated in the event. Main objective of the exhibition was to highlight the local handicrafts of Chitral and to encourage marketability in and outside of Chitral. The exhibition started from morning which was continue until 6 PM. It was inaugurated by Arshad Hussain Director Tourism Corporation of Khyberpahtunkhwa. Talking to this scribe a lady participant from Garamchishma Miss Mehrunnisa said that we have sophisticated items and pieces of handicrafts and preparing master pieces but we are not supporting by any Government or Non Governmental Organization. She said that some 500 women fold are affiliated with this sector who gain their livelihood by working in a handicraft center but we have no links to national or international market to boost value and prices of our work and items. An other lady Tahira Bibi from Madaglasht valley said that she was very much excited to see such beautiful pieces and was very much happy to see this exhibition. She said that a large number of women folk are attached with handicraft at Madaglasht  they preparing woolen items but they need attention of the authority for accessing to market.

Booni residents protested against proposed Tax by TMA Mastuj.

CHITRAL:  Residents of Booni some 75 KM from here  protested against proposed tax by Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) Mastuj who had published an advertisement in a local newspaper. A large number of people of Booni  came on roads and protested against the proposed implementation of tax. The public meeting was presided over by Haji Muhammad Ghaffar former Ameer of Jamat Islami. Some local leaders also delivered speech on the occasion. The speakers said that Chitral is a tax free zone  which had declared by former Premier of Pakistan Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Shaheed being most backward and poor district of the province. They said that he also had remitted loans and after that so many times loans were remitted by different rulers because of hitting by natural calamity and victimizing of disaster. They said that no facility has been provided by TMA Mastuj and they have no rights to impose tax on these poor people. They alleged that government officials are serving more than three years despite that their tenure of two years have been completed but they still involved in corruption. They also demanded for immediate posting out of those staff whose tenure has been completed. They also expressed grief over taking heavy tax on Agriculture loans by signing these forms. They also alleged some staff of Zari Taraqyati Bank Booni involved in corruption and taking commission from farmers in loans. They appeal to Chief Justice Peshawar High Court for taking suio moto action

They denied any type of tax and said that Booni to Kroi Junali road was repaired on self help basis by Hamsafar Welfare Society but TMA was silent spectator. There is no transport and people facing great problems due to non availability of potable drinking water. People of the area are working on self help basis to carry pipeline of water supply from 10 kilometers of distance. Former Tehsil Nazim Shamsurrehman said that I had strictly rejected proposal of tax implementation during my tenure. They also expressed their concern over silent feature of anti corruption department in corruption of  Booni Goal project,  Cabin Taxes. They also demanded for immediate posting out of TMA staff Rab Nawaz sub registrar, Abdul Jabbar clerk and MCO of ZTB. Those who spoke on the occasion were Haji Ghaffar, Shujauddin, Mukhtar Ahmad, Gul Hayat Advocate, Khwaja Nizamuddin Advocate, Engineer Qadir Shah, Sarfaraz Ali Khan, Muhabbat Khan, Nasru Minallah and former Tehsil Nazim Shamusur Rehman. A large number of people were present on the occasion.

G.H. Farooqi PO Box NO.50 GPO Chitral Pakistan or Bank Islami Main Branch Chitral.
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