By: Syed Zahid Jan
UPPER DIR: Dir Motorway and CPEC Western Corridor are vital for the development of Dir and Chitral. They will bring prosperity to millions of people across 4 districts and provide the shortest trade route to Central Asian states, while also serving as an alternative route to Gilgit-Baltistan.
Speaking at a press conference, Dir-Chitral Action Forum President Abdullah Khan, Badshah Uddin, Kifayat Jan and others said talks about Dir Motorway and the CPEC Western Corridor have been ongoing since Pervez Khattak’s tenure, but construction hasn’t started yet.
Abdullah Khan said the survey for Dir Motorway is now complete. Dir Lower district administration is currently negotiating land rates and other matters with landowners for acquisition.
He said people of 5 districts Bajaur, Dir Lower, Dir Upper, Chitral Lower, and Chitral Upper are facing hardships due to poor connectivity. Linking these areas through Dir Motorway, a separate division, and the CPEC Western Corridor will be a “game changer”. It will end problems for millions and start a new era of development, creating jobs and boosting tourism in these backward areas.
He added that if the Chakdara-Dir and Dir-Upper Chitral road is included in CPEC, the N-45 route via Upper Chitral can serve as an alternative to Gilgit-Baltistan during emergencies. Through Broghil area in Upper Chitral, it can connect to Tajikistan and become a key trade route to Central Asian States. Due to the shortest distance, Pakistan can get faster, cheaper access for trade including natural gas, earning billions in annual revenue.
Abdullah Khan said Dir-Chitral Action Forum demands the federal and provincial governments allocate funds for Dir Motorway, CPEC Corridor, and a separate division in the upcoming budget. These are long-standing demands of Chitral and Dir residents. Malakand Division is the province’s largest division, and splitting it into two divisions would ease public access to services. Former CM Mahmood Khan also announced two divisions for Chitral in 2022, but implementation remains pending.
The Forum has been working on these projects for 6 years and will continue until work starts, otherwise people of Dir and Chitral will stage strong protests.
