CHITRAL: An American citizen constructing a five star hotel in Gan Koreni, a suburb of Chitral. Local people said that when they started work on the hotel, they were assured that the sanctity of their chadar and chardewari veil would be maintained but the agreement was not implemented when the hotel reached the fourth floor. Locals say we have no objection on the construction of the hotel but the curtains of our houses should be maintained so that women can carry out their work without any hesitation. Locals say that windows, doors should not be made towards our houses or walls should be made for curtains so as to not disturb their privacy. . Former Tehsil Nazim and Pesh Imam of Jamia Masjid Gan Koreni, Maulana Muhammad Ilyas also revealed that Chitral is in the red zone in terms of the earthquake and at the time of construction of the hotel, the owner did not even have the approval of the building authority and relevant agencies. When we submitted the complaint then his approval was taken.
The people of the area had taken a stay order from the court for the protection of their chador and chaddiwari. Despite this, the work continued and the court order was also violated their only demand is that the sanctity of our chador and chaddiwari Privacy must be taken care. Since most of the cattle in Chitral are keeping by women and grass is cut for them. If the hotel is completed, foreign and non-local tourists will be come here. At that time, their women will not be able to sweep the houses, put clothes on the roofs after washing and will not be able to go to the cattle shed.
They also say that during the month of Ramadan, work goes on here whole night and the workers play loud music while the noise of work disturbs them and we could not sleep due to alcohol and its construction makes us unhappy with the dust. We are ready to endure all these hardships but we cannot trample on our dignity. People revealed that the owner of the hotel is an influential person and Zulfi Bukhari, Advisor to the Prime Minister, had come to Chitral for its inauguration and it seems that due to his influence, the institutions do not take any action against the hotel.
Our correspondent also tried to take the version of the hotel owner, but since he is based in the United States of America, he could not be reached. Seventy families of Gan Koreni have appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Chief Justice Peshawar High Court, and higher authorities to oblige the hotel owner to build the hotel keeping in view our privacy and not to ruin our dignity and peace. It is worth to mention that 70 families here have no objection to the construction of this hotel but their only demand is that their privacy, the veil should be careful of as their women cannot sweep the houses or clothes on the roof. These people say that the windows and doors of the hotel should be made on the other side instead of their houses so that it does not cause them any trouble and they are not forced to protest.
