CJP takes notice on intermittent closure of Lowari Tunnel

ISLAMABAD: The chief justice of Pakistan has taken notice of the intermittent closure of Lowari Tunnel, where traffic flow is hindered despite its formal inauguration.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar has issued notices regarding the matter following a petition filed by a resident of Chitral, the district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa close to which Lowari Tunnel is situated.

According to the petitioner, the tunnel is opened for only a few hours every day despite completion, which is why commuters have to wait in long queues before being allowed to pass through.

Subsequently, the top judge issued notices to the chairperson of National Highway Authority, secretary telecommunication and chief secretary, seeking a report from them on the matter within five days.

The Lowari Tunnel, which connects Chitral to the rest of the country, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on July 20, 2017. Prior to the completion of the project, the tunnel would be closed during seven months of winter and spring.

Heavy snowfall would disconnect Chitral from the rest of the country and sever communications, disrupting daily lives of locals.