Upper Chitral (Bashir Hussain Azad) Today, the first LCC meeting of PSLEP was held under the chairmanship of Mr. Shah Saud, Deputy Commissioner Upper Chitral, who is chairman of this forum. Other members of the committee included Assistant Commissioner Booni, District Director Livestock, Director Agriculture, SubDivisonal Forest Officer Wildlife Division, Range Officer Booni Forest Range, Assistant Director NTFP, Head of AKRSP Booni, and community representatives of Torkhow and Terich Valleys attended the meeting.
The proceedings started with the recitation of the Holy Quran followed by a welcome note to all participants from Mr. Shafiqullah Khan Regional Program Manager, Snow Leopard Foundation (SLF), Chitral. After this, Mr. Jaffar U Din, National Program Manager, PSLEP, and Deputy Director SLF shared the annual work plan of 2020 with the participants through PowerPoint presentation. He comprehensively explained all the proposed activities to be undertaken in this project. The RPM shared the progress review for the year 2019 with the forum. He briefed about the achievements information of two Valley Conservation and Sustainable Development Organization (VCSDO) and hurdles being faced in the execution of the project by certain vest-interested elements. The NPM then highlighted the challenges being faced in the implementation of the work plan and sought the cooperation of the District Administration.
The DC assured his full assistance for the project and term it beneficial not only for Snow leopard but whole environment. He stressed the participation of women as they are directly involved in household activities in the mountain and remote regions.The community representatives stressed the need on regulating the movements of “nomads” or “Gujjars” in order to effectively conserve the precious flora and fauna of the fragile ecosystem. All the stakeholders of the forum took a keen interest in the anticipated interventions for the protection of snow leopard and its whole ecosystem. The meeting ended with a vote of thanks from the honorable chairman and fixed next session in April in Terich valley to assess the ground realities.
Muhammad Nayab Khan is a seasoned Freelance Journalist, Media Professional, and Enterprise Development expert based in Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Holding an MBA in Finance from Punjab University, he brings a unique economic and digital perspective to media storytelling, corporate branding, and regional development. He maintains active professional affiliations with Qashqar TV (First PEMRA Licensed WebTV in Chitral) and Chitral Express (Chitral’s Largest News Network), where he contributes high-impact digital content, editorial visuals, and comprehensive coverage of regional socio-economic issues. As a multi-faceted entrepreneur and media creator, Nayab combines sharp investigative insight with advanced visual communication to highlight local narratives on regional and national platforms.
