100 literacy centres to be set up in Northern Areas

President General Pervez Musharraf is taking keen interest in the development of Northern Areas and record projects have been launched to bring progress and prosperity in the area. This was stated by Senator Nisar A. Memon while addressing the Pakistan Muslim League convention here at Chinar Bagh on Thursday.
"Priority is given to the resolution of public problems," he said, adding, "the government is committed to providing basic amenities of life to the people of Northern Areas at their doorsteps."
He said: "One of the priorities of the government is to provide quality education to the people of the area" and added he would establish 100 literacy centers throughout Northern Areas and he would himself bear the expenses.
He said number of jobs would be available to the people of Northern Areas as comprehensive plans were being devised by the government.
He held out an assurance that the Federal government would provide all possible assistance for the socio-economic progress of Northern Areas. He asked the party workers and organising committee to accomplish the task of party reorganisation by November 30.
WOMENFOLK'S WELFARE: He said that the present government was giving special attention to boost the welfare of the womenfolk and every woman member of Northern Areas Legislative Council would be given Rs 5 million to carry out welfare-oriented projects for women.
He said the government has again started Khushal Pakistan Programme in Northern Areas, like other parts of the country, to bring progress and prosperity in the area.
He thanked the Northern Areas administration for extending support to the PML and asked the partymen to work for the welfare of the people and resolve their problems. He expressed his confidence that the annual developmental budget would be increased to Rs 9 billion from 3 billion during this five-years period.
Deputy chief executive Northern Areas Mir Ghazanfar Ali Khan and other party leaders also spoke on the occasion.
Earlier, the party flag hoisting ceremony was also performed in the busiest chowk of Gilgit at Gari Bagh and later a rally was taken out by the Pakistan Muslim League, which was started from Chinar Bagh and terminated at the same venue.