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CHITRAL: The residents of the Nichhagh village of Khot valley in Upper Chitral have termed the completion and commissioning of the suspension bridge, the beginning of a new era for the village which was hitherto inaccessible by vehicle due to its undulating topography.

CHITRAL: The residents of mountainous Arkari valley in Lower Chitral have said the realignment and reconstruction of the road to their area has brought about a ‘revolution’ in their lives.

Representatives of a local organiation, including Mirza Shah, Nadir Khan and Hassan Dulla, told Dawn on Sunday that the road had replaced a narrow bumpy track from Ruji village on the main Garam Chahsma Road to the valley, which used to remain closed during the three winter months due to snowfall.

At the Park Center Ice Ground in Upper Chitral, a hockey tournament was staged for the first time ever in Pakistani history.
The girls’ teams from several academies in Upper Chitral battled against the boys’ teams during the uncommon ice hockey event.

Eight teams altogether, made up of both boys and girls, took part in the competition.

The match between the Fox and Snow Leopard teams, which the latter won by three goals, was officiated by Canadian High Commissioner Leslie Scanlon, who was present with her daughter.

CHITRAL: Groundbreaking ceremonies were held for three new state-of-the-art buildings being added to the Aga Khan Schools in Booni, Mastuj and Torkhow in Upper Chitral.

Aga Khan Council for Pakistan President Hafiz Sher Ali presided over the ceremonies as the chief guest while Wing Commander Chitral Scout Colonel Shahzad Nadeem was the guest of honour at Mastuj and Rai Afzal Ali was the guest of honour at Booni.

CHITRAL: Authorities have completed work on various schemes meant to protect people of Arkari valley in Chitral district from devastating floods that hit the area frequently in summers and washed away homes, rendering many homeless and aggravating their poverty.

Carried out by Aga Khan Agency for Habitat, the massive bulwark erected on the northern side of Sufaid Arkari village of the valley coupled with the schemes of the rehabilitation works of drinking water supply and roads have been completed recently.

CHITRAL: The residents of Baroghil valley in Chitral region insist that the recent construction of an all-weather road to Baroghil promises the development of the underdeveloped valley in the country’s northernmost region.

According to them, basic facilities are largely unavailable to them as the valley remains inaccessible for seven months of the year due to harsh weather conditions.

The Aga Khan Rural Support Programme recently built the 32km road with four suspension bridges at the cost of Rs102.28 million. It provides all-weather access to the valley.

Shamim Bano, a middle-school teacher, has recently returned from a fortnight in Kabul where she taught Afghan women to do search and rescue work. The training “involved climbing mountains and gorges using ropes and harnesses, using ziplines and rappelling. Any wrong move and you can start a rock fall,” she explained.

Handling serious casualties, “with broken bones, head, neck and back injuries,” was also part of the training, she added.

Hazar Imam at Chitral Airport, Northern Pakistan, after Diamond Jubilee Darbar bids Khuda Hafiz to the President of Ismailia Council 2017-12-09

CHITRAL: The Aga Khan Health Service, Pakistan, (AKHSP), has planned to set up a testing facility of Covid-19 in Chitral and has started the process of importing the machine and allied equipment.

AKHSP regional head Mirajuddin said this while speaking at a ceremony arranged at the inauguration of 28-bedded Covid-19 Response Centre in Booni, Upper Chitral.

He said that establishing a testing facility had become essential in Chitral as sending a swab sample of a suspected patient to Peshawar entailed heavy expenses.

Minister inaugurates 306kW hydropower station in Chitral

CHITRAL: Federal Minister for Energy Omar Ayub Khan inaugurated the 306-kilowatt hydropower station in far-flung Gazen village of Yarkhoon valley here on Saturday.

The project was completed by Aga Khan Rural Support Programme, which would electrify 335 households of the five sparsely-populated villages.

Established in 2017 the AKAH includes the legacy programs and initiatives of the Aga Khan Planning and Building Services (AKPBS) including Water Sanitation Extension Program (WASEP), FOCUS Humanitarian Assistance, the Disaster Risk Management Initiative (DRMI), the Portfolio Management Office (PMO), and the Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan Fund for the Environment (PSAKFE). It also includes the habitat related activities of Aga Khan Rural Support Program (AKRSP) and the Mountain Societies’ Development Support Program (MSDSP). The latter is operating in Tajikistan’s Gorno Badakhshan Oblast.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Senator Samina Saeed has said that the contribution of Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in health, education and social development sectors for the backward district of Chitral are second to none.

Speaking on a report of Senate Functional Committee, which was presented in the house after visiting the district, she said that AKDN has done wonders in an area, which was always ignored by respective governments in the past.

A scheme of potable drinking water for Dolomuch colony and Seenlasht was inaugurated at Seenlasht. Additional Deputy Commissioner Chitral Minhasuddin was chief guest on the occasion who unveiled plaque of the project.

Hazar Imam arrives in Northern Areas of Pakistan 2017-12-07

CHITRAL: Prince Karim Aga Khan, the spiritual leader and 49th Imam of the Shia Ismaili community, visited on Saturday the Chitral district in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. He addressed his followers, who had gathered in thousands at Garam Chashma and Boni areas.

BOONI: The Aga Khan blessed his followers with Darbar and Didar today at Booni Chitral.

ISLAMABAD: His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, is scheduled to arrive in Islamabad today (December 7) for an official visit to the country on the invitation of the Government of Pakistan.

While in Pakistan, Aga Khan is expected to meet with President Mamnoon Hussain as well as Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, besides other government officials.

Chitral .. The scheduled visit to Chitral of His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of twenty million Ismaili Muslims is awaited with much reverence and enthusiasm in this highland district.

The Aga Khan is not only holy to the Ismailis but muslims from all sects respect and regard him as a benevolent personality who has served humanity in his capacity without any discrimination.

He has always presented a pleasant and amicable face of Islam in international forums.