DISTRICT CHITRAL AND THE DILEMMA OF LAWARI TUNNEL

The newly built tunnel is wide and quite impressive at the entrance. However inside there is much work to be done. The total length of the project is 133 KM which include access road on both sides and the main tunnel which is of 8.5 KM. It is the longest tunnel in Pakistan for road access, however the length of Nelum Jhelum Project's tunnel located in Kashmir is 25 KM. English Channel connecting France and Britain under the sea is 51 KM while the longest metro/rapid transit tunnel is Guangzhou Metro: Line 3 which a total length of 60 KM.

Lawari tunnel is a way through rugged offshoot of Hindukush Ranges at the Chitral-Dir border. It is part of the Lawari tunnel project which in total of 133 KM length. It connects the northern district of Chitral with the rest of the country particularly during winters when the highland pass over the mountains is closed down due to heavy snowfall. Before the construction of this tunnel the travelers of Chitral used to go for a 15 hour jounry through the Kunar province of Afghanistan in order to connect with the rest of their beloved country i.e. Pakistan. Some used to take another risky adventure of going on foot over the lawari mountains pass risking lives and thus avoid going through an alien and inhospitable country i.e. Afghanistan. Either way it was a very tough travel with full of dangers and perils. It is interesting that travel through Afghanistan during Taliban reign was safer as compared to other regimes there. Even a full control of Kumar province by ISAF forces couldn't guarantee the safe passage of Chitrali travelers through Afghanistan.

Inside Tunnel back in the inital days. It is much wider now but very bumpy. 

The construction of Lawari tunnel was started by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto-the populist socialist prime minister of pakistan. He is a venerated figure in Chitral for giving relaxation to Chitrali in paying taxes and providing food rations to the inhabitants of this rugged yet beautiful land which so close yet so far from the mainland Pakistan. The work stopped as soon as ZAB was ousted in 1977 by the Army intervention. Next to come was Mr. Musharraf who despite being a dictator and having seized power in Pakistan by overthrowing a democratically elected government. He came out to be more sensible than the (bloody) civilians as far as sensing the problem of Chitral was concerned. He promptly resumed work on the tunnel and for this he is rightly being loved by the people of Chitral. In the recent election, one National Assembly (NA) and one Provincial Assembly (PA) seats were won by his rather lacklustre party-APML from Chitral. These are the only seats won by the former dictator's party in the length and breadth of Pakistan. This win is also remarkable given the fact the days before the election AMPL announced the boycott of the polls. The dictator is now part of the folklore of the district, admired by every local, they sing while admiring him and his trial by the current government for high treason is heavily opposed by the people of Chitral. 

Pakistan army Engineers trying to keep the road over the Lawari tunnel clear by removing snow but more than two meters of snow which falls by the start of January each year is impossible given machinery available in Pakistan. In western countries snow of even four meter is cleared from road with advanced machinery.

Perveiz Musharraf while during his heydays dancing during the Shandoor festival in Chitral. I remember his visit to Chitral in 1998 while he was Army chief and inaugurated a small micro-hydro power near my school. Perhaps he developed taste for chitral nad northern area during these pre-dictatorship days'. Even religious parties have no objection to this rather "obscenity" as the Nazim of Chitral belonging to JI is excited clapping to appreciate the honorable president.

The bottom line is that all this was a gesture of gratitude to Mr. Musharraf for his contribution in the construction of Lawari tunnel- a long standing demand of the People of Chitral. Completion of Lawari Tunnel through Lawari mountains in 2009 was a like a dream come a dream come true for them.  

Widespread protest are going on daily in Chitral and outside, but falling on deaf ears. In these circumstances Chitralis really long for the Musharraf days who who have promptly acted-everyone Chitral believes. The Nawaz led govt in the center is too busy with making macro economic decisions like privatization and institutional changes which suit his  

With the increasing in violence in Afghanistan and insurgency in Kunar province-through Chitralis used to pass was no more a safe place to go through. However the restart of work on Lawari tunnel by PM government was seen as blessing by the people of Chitral and they hoped to get rid the tiring journey through lawless Kunar province and being fleeced by the opportunist afghan drivers and hoteliers. The merry-making of Chitralis was worth watching on completion of Lawari tunnel in 2009 where they organized numerous program to celebrate the occasion. I had the opportunity of attending a couple in Islamabad and I remember how there was hope on the poverty stricken faces of the Chitralis most of whom work as seasonal labor in inhuman condition in the construction sector of the federal capital. There were poetry symposium eulogizing Musharraf, SAMBU the engineer and everyone who had been associated with the project. Chitralis danced in musical program arranged for the occasion and unknowing that their generation is not going to see anything and there is literally no light at the end of the tunnel. This hope and happiness however was short-lived. The next winter brought the same trouble to the commuter in the name of widening the tunnel etc. Now even after six year of this "completion" we are yet to see any comfort and continue to be be object of humiliation and despair. 

The road leading over the Lawari top is picturesque and beautiful but fully accessible only for few months during summers. A lot of tourist influx used to be seen during the pre-terror days. Nowadays only few come and each one is escorted by a police guy. Truly this intrusion in privacy is not palatable to the free-souls and foreign tourist are becoming rare in Chitral resulting huge loss to the local economy.  

It seems that the work in the tunnel is disturbed when ordinary people and public transport want to go through. Those who are at the helm of affairs and having connection have no problem in crossing in the tunnel and strange enough do not cause any delay in the work. Every year when one pass through this tunnel, s/he is unable to find even the slightest of change. It looks very much the same as it was during the winter of 2010.

Snow cover the Lawari mountain for most of the year. 4x4 vehicles are suited for transport to Chitral. While the Cars like XLI etc. worn out of shape when come to Chitral and you need complete overhauling of it once you come out of this mountainous paradise. 

Last week the APML MNA of Chitral Mr. Iftikhar ud Din hinted in accession to Afghanistan if Pakistani authorities are not interested in opening the Lawari tunnel and about the well being of the People of Chitral. Such a reaction from the otherwise cool and calm legislator is not without reasons. Repeatedly the Chitrali People protested and raised their voices peacefully and though organized platforms but they were unheard at all the occasions. It reminds me of the Nationalist in the Gilgit Baltistan (GB) who come up with every minor issue and get it resolved immediately by using their separation card. Although Chitral and GB are very same in landscape, culture and traditions, their administrative status makes them feel to lie in different countries. While in GB there is a huge food subsidy becuase of which wheat and floor is available at one-fourth of the price at which it is available in Chitral. Despite being very similar in terms of livelihood sources the people in GB are progressing more as they end up saving a major portion of their income which the Chitralis spend on purchasing wheat and other staple food. Had Chitralis used this threat of separation or secession along with the GB people, life would perhaps have been much easier for them. 

In November the Lawari top is fully covered with Snow. Only line without snow is the road leading to Chitral which is muddy and pose one of the challenging drive for those who dare to go on with it.

TAILPIECE: The closure of Lawari tunnel, the inhuman treatment of the passenger and their psychological torture by the authorities present at the tunnel is brewing unrest and may lead to some unpleasant consequences in the near future. Last month when snowfall covered the mountain top, around 500 passengers and 200 vehicles were forced to wait for 48 hours at the entrance of the lawari tunnel. Many of the passengers were women and Children and lot many were patient and old. The anomaly is that while the poor and helpless passengers were waiting at the gate of this coveted tunnel, the officials themselves were using the tunnel for going back and fourth many a times. This kind of mismanagement and poor governance is only multiplying our problem and unless we empower the commons our end may be imminent. The DCO of Chitral shamelessly put metal boards on the chitral side of the tunnel that government will not be responsible for those travelling though the tunnel if god forbid anything happens to them. This ultimate sense irresponsibility has no match in the colonial history of the subcontinent which the very same DCO is legacy of. We wish that senses prevail at the center and in the province that there is open access for Chitral inhabitant to their motherland Pakistan and their unconditional accession to this country is acknowledged.   

Disclaimer: It is an amateur post and error/omissions expected. Written in one sitting and is only intended to highlight Lawari issue- which is matter of life and death of 0.6 million people of District Chitral. 

References

1. National Highway Authority

2. The News Pakistan

3. The daily dawn

4. Chitraltoday.net

5. Chitraltimes.com