By Zahiruddin
CHITRAL: The people of Chitral were found as gloomy and sad as they were on December 7 lasgt year when the news of the carsh of PK 661 was broke to them which killed 47 passengers including five crew members.
Thounsands of people had thronged to the Shaheed Osama Park on Chitral-Booni road to pay remember the plane victims who inclouded Osama Ahmed Warraich, the deputy commissiner of Chitral who had won over the hearts of wide majority of Chitralis by his relentless work of novelty which benefited the area and its people direclty.
No person was seen in the park without tears in his eyes who had gathered there to commemorate the popular officer on the first anniversary of the plance crash which was arranged by the district admisnitration and Chitral police.
Floral wreath was placed on the Yadgar-e-Osama, an structure raised on the middle corner of the park by Chitral DC Irshad Sodhar and DPO Mansoor Aman and commandant of Chitral Scouts colnel Moeenuddin while a smart contingent of police saluted it followed by march past.
The park was named after him as ‘Osama Warraich Shaheed Park’ after his demise which happened to be the first public park in the district which he had erected without spending a penny from the government treasury and he managed the resources from his friends and relatives.
The participants also thronged the Shahi Masjid in large nubmer to recite Holy Quraan for the souls departed in the plane crash while a function was held in the auditorium of Government High School which was also attended by district nazim Maghfirat Shah including the Chitral DC, DPO and commandant of Chitral Souts.
Glowing tributes were paid to Osama Warraich by the speakers and described his accomplishment and revolutionary measures and adminsitrative reforms which included his crusade against encroachments of government land throughout the district.
The people also went to the graves of the plane victims in Jang Bazar, Chew Doke and Bakrabad in the town, Drosh, Garam Chashma, Zait, Booni, Junali Koch, Lone, Brep and Morder and enkindled candles followed by fateha khwani for the departed souls of the plane crash.
The singer turned evangelist Junaid Jamshed was also remmbered by the people who was also one of the plane victims and was returning home with his wife after spending two months in Chitral with tableeghi jamaat.
