Human Rights demanded providing of civic amenities to residents of Arkari.
CHITRAL: A one day awareness raising workshop on human rights was held
at Arkari valley the most remote, backward and non accessible locality
of Chitral organized by Legal Awareness Program for Human Rghts (LAPH)
funded by Trocaire in collaboration with Khair Andeesh welfare Society
Arkari. Niaz Ali Shah Chairman Board of Director LAPH was chief guest
on the occasion while the ceremony was presided over by Zar Khan
teacher retired and notable person of the valley. The workshop was
started with the recitation from the Holy Quran. Mis Fauzia Monitoring
and Evaluation Officer LAPH briefed the participant’s about aim and
objectives of the organization working for protection of human cum
women rights. Niaz Ali Shah highlighted achievement of LAPH with
introducing its history. He said that it came into being in 1998 by
some volunteers of the area. He said that LAPH providing free legal
assistance to needy, deserving and helpless women of Chitral besides
it we also supporting poor students (female) to continue their
education at college level as well as rehabilitating of widow women of
Chitral he added. He said that we raising awareness regarding basic,
fundamental and human rights through seminars, workshops and training
among different segment of the society as well as also arranging
workshops for police force and government official to sensitize them
about women rights. Women rights are exploiting by domestic practices
and other tactics he added.
The participants were given task to prepare presentation pointing out
problems and difficulties reflecting to inhabitants especially to
women folk of the valley in group working. Miss Laila Naz and Miss
Bibi Alam highlighted main problems, deprive ness and human rights
violation in their presentation. They said that the valley comprising
over 8000 population but there is no girls school, no college, no BHU,
no electricity in the entire valley. They said that main road of the
valley is in a very dilapidated condition and that is why that more
than 70 people were died in 15 road mishaps in a few years on this
road. They said that women folk of the area are totally deprived from
their basic and fundamental rights because there is no job
opportunities and other facility for them even they bring drinking
water from far away because the pipeline freeze due to chilly weather.
There is no playground in the area and that is why the young
generation is involving in social evils like drug addicting. There is
no opportunity for women folk to get vocational training or any other
skill capacity building to enable them to gain their livelihood with a
honor way. They said that the only dispensary of the area established
in 1964 but could not up-graded to Basic Health Unit. There is no
communication network and residents of the entire valley are totally
deprived from telephone facilities as a result they are badly
suffering to contact heir relatives in case of any emergency.
Syed Akram Shah member BoD stressed upon the participants to continue
their joint efforts for sustainable development of the area as well as
to highlight their problems through media.
He said that the government spent million of rupees but due to
dis-honesty of contractors the road is still in a very dangerous
condition. Zar Khan demanded for approval of special quota in
recruitment in border police force from this valley because it
adjacent to Afghanistan border but youth of this valley are totally
ignoring during recruitment in border police force. He thanked to LAPH
team who arranged this workshop in the valley because no one have
visited the area even District Nazim never came here in his 4 years
tenure. He criticized Works and Services department for no
construction of the road and 14 people were died in a fatal road
accident due to poor condition of the road but no compensation paid
to them. He said that it take 4 hours traveling from Chitral to
Arkari due to big ditches in the middle of road. He said residents of
the area have arranged of a micro hydro power station on self-help
basis. He said that students of this valley struck off their further
education after passing their matriculation examination due to no
educational institution of degree level in the valley. He strongly
criticized education department because of no girl’s school in the
area. He said that no EDO has visited the area since last year. G.H.
Farooqi a local journalist sensitized the participants regarding
reflecting their problems through print and electronic media. A large
number of male and female attended the workshop. They were also hosted
lunch at end of the workshop.
G.H. Farooqi PO Box No. 50 GPO Chitral Pakistan phone No. 03025989602,
03469002167, 0943-302295, 414418
Email: gulhamad@gmail.com