BONI: An All Parties Conference (APC) was held in Boni, the headquarters of Upper Chitral, where key issues faced by the area were discussed in detail. A unanimous resolution was adopted at the conclusion of the meeting, warning the district administration to take immediate action.
According to a joint statement issued after the meeting, the participants expressed deep concern over the deteriorating condition of the Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) Hospital, Boni. They stated that several years have passed since Upper Chitral was declared a separate district, yet Boni Hospital has still not been granted the status of a District Headquarters Hospital. The hospital lacks basic medical facilities, faces an acute shortage of doctors, and does not have a gynecologist, causing serious hardship for the people of Upper Chitral. As a result, residents are forced to seek maternity and childcare services from private hospitals in Boni by paying heavy fees, which places an unbearable burden on poor families.
The meeting also expressed regret that despite the passage of 11 years, the construction work at THQ Hospital Boni has still not been completed, terming it a clear sign of negligence by the relevant authorities.
The participants criticized students who secured medical seats under the quota allocated for Chitral but, after completing their education and becoming doctors, fail to serve in Chitral. They termed this practice shameful and demanded that the government formulate a clear and effective mechanism to address the issue.
The APC further informed the district administration that vehicles traveling from Peshawar to Upper Chitral operate during nighttime hours, causing inconvenience to passengers and increasing the risk of accidents. The meeting demanded that a proper regulatory framework be introduced for transporters and that nighttime travel be banned.
The participants also described the behavior of the District Food Controller of Upper Chitral towards local shopkeepers as inappropriate and called for corrective measures.
In the unanimously adopted resolution, the district administration was warned that if these issues are not addressed promptly, a protest movement will be launched in the first week of February.
