Lowari tunnel to be completed by 2016’s end: PM

CHITRAL, Oct 28 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif
Wednesday announced the completion of Lowari Tunnel by the end of next year and said the problems of Chitral would be resolved soon.
Addressing the local people affected by the recent earthquake,
the Prime Minister said the compensation for the losses would be
made at the earliest.
The Prime Minister said his visit to Chitral was aimed at
mitigating the sufferings of the people unlike those, who did nothing
in the past, for their welfare except playing with their sentiments.
He said the quake-affected people of Chitral would be given
compensation as per the relief package, the government has announced.
He assured that the procedure of provision of compensation
cheques would be started within four days.
The Prime Minister directed the authorities to speed up relief work
and provide blankets and other items of daily use well before the onset
of harsh winter.
The Prime Minister said roads would be constructed from
Chitral to Garam Chashma, Shandoor and Bamboret and the Gomal Zam Dam
would fulfill the needs of Chitral.
The Prime Minister said with Almighty’s grace, the loss of
lives and property had been considerably lower than the damages of
the earthquake of October 2005.
He said Chitral recently witnessed devastation caused by the
floods and regretted that complaints had surfaced about non-payment
of compensation.
He said the Chief Minister KPK Pervaiz Khattak had also taken
notice of the delay and would take to task those responsible.
The Prime Minister assured that the relief goods were being
despatched to the affected areas. He said since the affected areas
were inaccessible, it would take some time before the relief goods
reach all areas.
He lauded GOC Malakand Major General Nadir Khan and Chairman
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Maj General Asghar
Nawaz for carrying out relief activities in quake-affected areas.