Rs1b uplift project launched in Chitral
Wednesday, October 21, 2009 – CHITRAL: A rupees one billion, Norwegian funded, Chitral Integrated Area Development Programme was launched in the district on Tuesday.
Launching the project at a function, Norwegian ambassador Robert Clay said his country had old relation with this remote but beautiful region. “We have a long relationship with you. Expeditions from Norway visited Chitral way back in 1929, 1949, and 1969 in a bid to conquer Terichmir,” the envoy said.
Some of the members of the expedition teams also wrote books about the peculiar culture of this beautiful region, he said. “Chitral Integrated Area Development Programme is our fourth bid to interact with the peaceful people of this area,” he added.
The ambassador hoped that the people of Chitral would take full advantage of the project. “We want the people of Chitral developed economically and have no other ambition,” he added. Commandant of Chitral Scouts, district coordination officer and representatives of civil society organisations were present on the occasion.
It was astonishing that none of the elected representatives including MNA and MPAs were present during the launching ceremony of the vital project. The representatives of the implementing partners AKDN, IUCN and SRSP were also found questioning the modus operandi of the project.
Ismailimail 