Lawari Rail Tunnel Function held at Islamabad

Chitral Development Organization held Lowari tunnel seminar.  

CHITRAL:  An impressive seminar was marked a ‘Chitrali salutation’ to the Lowari Tunnel. Organized by ‘Chitral Development Forum the seminar was attended by Ministers, Parliamentarians, Diplomats, heads of NGOs, high ranking Govt. officials, elite, social workers and Chitral lovers. Federal Minister for States and Frontier regions, Najmuddin Khan was the chief guest on the occasion while provincial minister NWFP for Population Welfare Saleem Khan was also present on the occasion. The theme of the seminar was "Lawari Tunnel Project: Challenges and the Way Forward”.  The seminar began with recitation of the Holy Quran by Qari Buzurg Shah Al-Azhari.  Fateha was offered and one minute silence observed for those who laid down their lives working on the project.  Address of welcome was presented by Muhammad Wali Khan a senior bureaucrat and chairperson of the organizing committee.  In line with the theme of the seminar, exhaustive presentations were made by, Sher Wali Khan Aseer and Ali Sher Khan. Shahzada Masoodul Mulk and Shahkarez Khan, which were highly appreciated for their class and content.

The chief guest in his address said the idea of extending road access to Central Asia via Chitral was fully supported by President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani who have issued directions to the Ministry of Communication for extending road links to Central Asian States via Chitral. He said he would personally request the government to carry out feasibility study of all the possible sites for such road including Dorah pass and Broghil pass. The Minister also reiterated that the machinery working on Lawari Tunnel would not come back rather would go ahead to begin work on road link to Tajikistan. Chitral had enormous resource potential especially the water resources for hydro power generation, which the people’s government wanted to, utilize he said.

 At the end of the seminar, souvenirs were presented to all those who had contributed to the cause of the Lowari Tunnel. Professor Israruddin a senior Academician was asked to perform the task, For once Chitralis showed tremendous self respect by putting the name of their former MNA  Ataliq Jafar Ali Shah on top of the list ahead of even former heads of state. They explained the reason and said the man who founded the idea at a time when even thinking about mega projects was a taboo, fought for it and persuaded the then PM Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Shaheed to begin work on it, deserved no less. Through this magnanimous gesture on the part of the educated Chitrali community, a clear message has been sent to all and sundry that any one who rises above self and works honestly and diligently for the collective benefit of Chitral will not go unsung in the eyes of the people.  His souvenir was received amidst thundering applause by his grand son, Feroze Ali Shah.  Others who were awarded souvenirs besides the two former heads of state, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Shaheed and Pervez Musharaf, included former parliamentarians, Governors, Ministers, NHA officials, Dist Govt Nazims, journalists and others who had rendered their contribution to the cause of the Lowari tunnel.

Later in the evening A cultural show was also organized in which Chitrali artists performed on stage, and which was largely participated by a large number of people belonging to all walks of life.