National / world press mis-reporting Chitral

Recently a national newspaper reported the assumed presence of Osama Bin Laden in Chitral and the associated (also assumed) operation by CIA here, which unnecessarily tickled the international media on the subject.

Chitral is just getting its tourism going again. Having Osama and the CIA in the neighborhood isn't good for business.

http://www.chitralnews.com/Latest%20New485.htm
National / world press mis-reporting Chitral

CHITRAL,15 Dec 04: Mis-reporting of news and events concerning Chitral by the national / world press has been resented and disdainfully scoffed at, by the residents of the area.

Besides the many instances earlier, recently a national newspaper reported the assumed presence of Osama Bin Laden in Chitral and the associated (also assumed) operation by CIA here, which unnecessarily tickled the international media on the subject. News Papers as distant as 'Taipei Times' reported it (read it). Foreign Affairs ministry spokesman had to clarify the matter in a special press briefing.

Any body in his right state of mind, would agree that surviving in this weather in Chitral is difficult for the locals themselves. How can a sick man like Bin Laden (if at all he exists) choose this rough place as an abode and that too without any body taking notice of him? (Chitral for one is a place where the locals surround with curiosity even a shaggy punjabi tourist calling him 'Mainu' (guest) and try not to leave him alone for a moment)

The local residents have taken strong exception to the regular practice of associating Chitral with un-necessary mysterious and frivolous news, just to divert the attention of world media from the real issues.

Chitralis while speaking to our correspondent said ''we have a responsible local press and instead of indulging in unnecessary speculations, authentic news / information about Chitral can easily be obtained from Chitral News without any problem''.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/118934/1/.html
"Here's what I think," said a senior [American] military official. "I think somewhere up in the mountains in Chitral, Bin Laden lives in a house and lives with a family, and probably one bodyguard.

"And once every month, or probably once every two months, he walks 15 miles to another ruin somewhere where he meets with somebody, and then he walks back 15 miles. He doesn't have an HF modem, he doesn't have a satellite TV, DVD, he probably doesn't have any kind of radio."

"And that's probably the life he leads," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The New York Times reported Monday, December 13, 2004 that American officials had said that the C.I.A. had established a series of small covert bases in the semiautonomous tribal area of Pakistan in late 2003 and concluded that Mr. bin Laden was being sheltered there by local tribesmen and foreign militants.

CHITRAL,26 Nov 04: (Monitoring desk) Osama Bin Laden,terrorist to many,hero to many others, certainly the most wanted man in the world is still speculated to be alive and living in some unexpected place. 'Yahoo News' has carried an interview of Maj Gen Eric Olson Deputy commander of the American forces in Afghanistan. Excerpt from the news story reads:-

"Here's what I think," said a senior military official. "I think somewhere up in the mountains in Chitral, Bin Laden lives in a house and lives with a family, and probably one bodyguard.

"And once every month, or probably once every two months, he walks 15 miles to another ruin somewhere where he meets with somebody, and then he walks back 15 miles. He doesn't have an HF modem, he doesn't have a satellite TV, DVD, he probably doesn't have any kind of radio."

"And that's probably the life he leads," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity...Read complete story at http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1512&ncid=731&e=2&u=/afp/20041124

I visited Chitral once, in 1987. It was beautiful. There is a predominating peak called Tirich Mir. (Sp?) We stayed at a guesthouse called Hotel Tirich Mir View. When we first arrived we set our things down in our room and then retired to the back veranda for tea. As we sat there admiring the nearby mosque, the plunging gorge with a raging river at bottom, and most especially the craggy, imposing face of snow-covered Tirich Mir, we were suddenly startled by the deafening roar of military jets overhead. Just seconds later the ground shook. The Soviets had flown over into Pakistan and bombed a refugee camp where were staged recruitment and resupply operations of the mujahadin forces battling Soviet occupation of nearby Afghanistan! Well, that really rattled our teacups, by Jove. Yes, quite! The proprietor immediately rushed out and engaged us in off-subject chit chat, apparently concerned that we might cut short our stay. We kept asking for details on what had just happened but no, he insisted, nothing really had happened, or nothing unusual, and certainly nothing to be concerned about, and where did we say we were from? I still have a bunch of photos taken from that veranda. Beautiful. And the tea was good, too.

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