The Pakistan Youth Hostel Association has strongly protested over the flagrant violation of law by the KP Tourism Department by forcibly taking over its youth hostel in Batakundi, Kaghan Valley.
In a letter to Jamal Shah, secretary, Department of Tourism, Sports and Culture, Pakistan Youth Hostel Association Honourary Secretary Agha Afzaal Hussain alleged the lock of the hostel was broken on the written direction of the tourism director.
He said the instructions were issued despite the fact that the director informed him (the secretary) about the stay order of the Islamabad High Court.
According to reports, the KP secretary tourism also ordered the staff to place a nameplate of the Tourism Department outside the gate of the youth hostel’s land.
A tent was also put up illegally in the compound. Agha Afzal Hussain, in the letter, pointed out that the said land had been in the possession of the Pakistan Youth Hostel Association since 1953. The hostel building was destroyed thrice by snow and floods and was rebuilt every time by the association. In order to secure its premises, the association constructed a boundary wall measuring 3,000 running feet at a cost of Rs 3.7 million. Recently the trust approved funds for the reconstruction of the building. The work was to commence immediately after Ramadan.
He pointed out that the Devolution Commission, under a misunderstanding devolved the Pakistan Youth Hostel Association.
The commission was informed about the true facts and no final decision was taken in its last meeting except that it would be discussed in the chief secretaries’ meeting.
