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Sunday, October 09, 2011
Pakistan will always stand by Kashmiris: Gilani* PM says govt fully aware of challenges confronting Kashmiris
MUZAFFARABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, on Saturday, said the Pakistan government would stand by Kashmiris in every challenge and would take all steps for their development and progress.
He was addressing at the inaugural ceremony of Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq Shaheed Medical College, which he named after a great Kashmiri leader in recognition of his untiring efforts for the freedom of Kashmir. The Rs 361.5 million medical college has been built with the assistance of Turkish government.
The prime minister, who arrived on a day-long visit to commemorate sixth anniversary of the catastrophic earthquake in 2005 that killed 73,000 people, inaugurated a series of development projects as part of the ongoing reconstruction phase.
He announced 2,000 new jobs in AJK Police Department for an improved security system for AJK people.
Addressing the gathering, the prime minister said, the government of Pakistan had never confronted such a massive catastrophe, however with international and local assistance, the challenge was overcome amicably. The prime minister mentioned that as immediate steps after the earthquake, about 116,000 people were given shelter in 125 camps, and added that all internally displaced people had now been honourably shifted to their homes.
He said Rs 49 billion had been disbursed for the reconstruction of 1,314,000 houses in AJK. A total of Rs 39.32 billion had so far been given to the affected people. In lieu of livelihood cash grant, he said Rs 2.64 billion had been paid while the homeless had been given Rs 740 million for purchasing 5-marla land. The prime minister said still much needed to be done in terms of reconstruction, requiring Rs 125 billion for work ranging from primary schools to mega projects. He said out of 7790 projects, ERRA had completed 3752 projects while 2613 were ongoing. He mentioned inauguration of ‘Government Boys Pilot High School’ at a cost of Rs 145 million. He said with Turkish assistance, a District Headquarters Hospital complex had been built with Rs 2.93 billion. He thanked Turkey and United arab Emirates for the reconstruction of 250-bed hospital each in Muzaffarabad and Rawalakot at a cost of Rs 5 billion. The prime minister expressed gratitude for the assistance by Saudi Arabia for providing Rs 3 billion for DHQ complex and Rs 7 billion for AJK university’s Rawalakot and Muzaffarabad campuses. app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk