“Tehreek Mastuj-Broghol Road” Holds Second successful power show/protest for Road Development in Upper Chitral – By: Abdur Rashid
Following a successful gathering in the village of Brep on October 20, 2024, the Tehreek Mastuj-Broghol Road movement held its second power show on November 11 in the village of Bang, despite rain and chilly temperatures of around 10°C. The back-to-back rallies emphasize the community’s pressing demand for the blacktopping of the Mastuj-Broghol road to facilitate access to the Wakhan Corridor, essential for both trade and cultural exchange with Central Asia and Afghanistan.
Residents from 150 villages across Mastuj tehsil—including Parwak, Laspur, and Broghol—gathered peacefully, underscoring their commitment to this basic right. The rally, which attracted thousands of participants, brought together men, women, students, social workers, and trade union members, unified in their call for the government to fund this critical road project.
In a speech at the rally, retired District Education Officer Sher Wali Khan Asir urged the administration to provide evidence of any planning work if it has been done for the project, to avoid confusion and delay. Another speaker, Tehreek Mastuj-Broghol Road’s Information Secretary, Mr. Karam Ali Saghdi reinforced the movement’s peaceful approach while stressing they are prepared to continue fighting for their rights. He warned that each subsequent protest would grow stronger if the federal and provincial governments fail to respond.
Speakers at the event highlighted the region’s strategic, historical, and touristic significance, urging both federal and provincial governments to prioritize funding and initiate construction on this vital infrastructure.
Author’s Note:
As a citizen of Upper Chitral and member of the Tehreek Mastuj-Broghol Road, I would like to briefly emphasis the historical backgrounds of Chitral and Gilgit Baltistan, because both regions are closely linked culturally and geographically, yet their development trajectories have differed vastly. While Gilgit-Baltistan has seen significant progress in infrastructure and connectivity—such as the Khunjerab Corridor—Chitral remains underdeveloped, with basic road infrastructure still a distant hope. We are living in stone age.
The comparison with District Swat further underscores this disparity. Both Swat and Chitral joined Pakistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 1969 as former princely states. Today, however, Swat enjoys a robust infrastructure network, including a motorway, while Chitral lacks even a basic road system.
Our question to the government is simple and legitimate: why this neglect? Why is Chitral consistently overlooked in development plans despite its vast natural beauty, mountains, lakes, glaciers, rich culture, and potential to attract tourists? By prioritizing Chitral, the government could uplift the local community, create economic opportunities, and boost national revenue.
Our peaceful plea to the government is to allocate funds for the Mastuj-Broghol road and open the Wakhan Corridor for trade. Don’t force us to question the unity we embraced in joining Pakistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
