UPPER CHITRAL: With fall of sun rays on his tent early morning, the poor wood seller Ali Zafar (48), started his painstaking journey towards nearby mountains to collect stones for reconstruction of his three marla house, swept away by the recent flash floods and torrential rains in Upper Chitral.
Commonly known as ‘Shino Lala ’ in his native village due to his blue eyes, Ali Zafar after having breakfast, fasten big saddlebags to his two mules and moved towards the mountains to collect as much stone slabs as possible for construction of his house in village Meragram.
The stone-made house of the poor wood seller was completely destroyed by the July 12 floods here. “I was offering Fajar prayer on the fateful morning of July 12 when the gushing water from Tirich Mir mountain ranges came in a jiffy and swept away my three marla house constructed by my father besides taking away all household luggage including furniture, two goats and stored wheat,” he recalled.
Ali said, “I could only save my two mules being sole earning for my family.” Worried about fast approaching winter season, Ali Zafar works from dawn to dusk along with his son and other family members to complete the structure before start of winter. –Agencies
