CHITRAL: Chitral is the largest district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in terms of area covering 14850 square kilometers but it is the most backward in development. Since there is no industry, factory, or big business in Chitral, most of the people here go to Peshawar, Lahore, Karachi, Quetta and other big cities of Pakistan for earning their livelihood and work. Chitral Economic Zone has been approved for the first time in the history of Chitral and in the 75 years of the creation of Pakistan, on which the work is going on very quickly with high quality.
It is worth to mention here that due to their tireless efforts of Sartaj Ahmad Khan former Tehsil Nazim and president Chamber of Commerce and Industries the Chitral Economic Zone has been approved for which the provincial government has sanctioned Rs 400 Million . . This fund is earmarked for Chitral Economic Zone office, roads, drains, tube wells, transformers and electricity, drainage and other construction works and more than a hundred factories will be establish here. If the resources are available, most of the marble factories will be set up in this economic zone. Apart from this, there are plans for mineral and gemstone polishing and cutting, processing of dry fruits, handicrafts and embroidery centers for women.
Economic Zone Manager Khabib Khan told our correspondent that it covers forty acres of land. It includes industrial zones and offices etc. Habib Khan further said that if a dry fruit plant is set up here, dry fruit can be packed with more sophisticated way and will be export to foreign countries as well.
The local people are also very happy on establishment of Economic zone. They said that now will not be faced to go abroad or in other cities out of Chitral for earning livelihood but we will get jobs here locally.
Jan Sons Construction Company spokesperson Rashid Minhas Khattak says that if the government wants to develop Chitral through economic zone, we will also contribute to it. We will try to ensure that the entire work of the Economic Zone is of the standard quality. We never compromise on quantity and quality. He said that Chitral is a far-flung and backward district. When a machine breaks down, we have to take it to Peshawar, Nowshera or Rawalpindi, but despite all these difficulties, we have accepted it as a challenge. At times, up to 150 workers work with us.
After completion of Chitral Economic Zone, when around a hundred factories will be established here, it will change the fortunes/fate of this area. Most of the people of Chitral were forced to go out of Chitral and even out of the country for hard work. After its functioning the condition of the roads of Chitral will also improve because the high quality white marble will be ready for exporting after polishing, then roads will have to be built to supply them in big markets of the country. According to experts, Chitral Economic Zone will be a milestone in changing the fortunes of this area and will cause of launching net of development works here.
By Gul Hamaad Farooqi.
