An open letter to Prime Minister on the dreadful situation of Chitralis at Lowari Tunnel

Dear Mr. Prime Minister!

Far from the jam packed and industrious cities of Pakistan, lies a culturally enriched, beautiful and breathtakingvalley known as Chitral . The heaven touching lush green valley full of fluttering butterflies with its sky piercing mountains varying from sheer to gradual features and the turquoise blue refreshing river floating over the glassy rocks mesmerizes every beholder. People with taste of travel come to enjoy the warmth of the sun, making its way through the dark clouds and reflecting its rays from the snowcapped mountains. Synchronizing with its master piece beauty is the beauty of the people with so unique values!

However with beauty and peace come the difficulties and adversities as well. Lowari pass with its mystifying roads, covered with the bone chilling snow has tons of records of how dreadful the situation becomes in the freezing season of winters. Yes, Lowari pass the beautiful and wondrous pass connecting Chitral to the lower cities of Pakistan becomes the  reason of both physical and mental stress for Chitralis while traveling in those twisted and freeze roads.

Our government is so busy with metro buses and all the luxurious facilities for the city people that thousands of people, who were stuck in that dreadful situation of the overlong night of 13th January 2017, do not seem to be a matter of question. If only you travel once through Lowari and have to wait in the cold with nothing to eat and holding up that aching cold, you would realize the strong need to complete the tunnel the soon its possible. How foolish I really am!!! Why would someone, with all the facilities and luxuries even need to care about feeling the pain of others unless you are a great leader? A great leader is perceptive to the needs of others and works for the empowerment of others but in our case our prime minister is very much perceptive to his luxurious needs and keeps empowering himself!!!

Dear Mr. Prime Minister and the Provincial Government!

Please manage 5 minutes to spare from your “precious busy schedule” to have a look what happens with the people of your country! I apologize already for giving you headache of confronting Chitral issue which you might not even consider an issue because mountainous people don’t seem people to an elite class like you.

Nazahat Shakir, from Chitral, is a student at Asian University For Women, Chittagong-Bangladesh.