June 20, 2002	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 8, 1423

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GILGIT, June 19: The Northern Areas Engineers Forum has asked the government to split the Northern Areas Public Works Department (NAPWD) into four autonomous departments like construction and works, electricity board, public health and irrigation.

The NAEF proposed that the departments of water management, soil conservation, town planning and city development authorities should be established in the five districts of Northern Areas.

They also demanded establishment of a technical college in Gilgit and Skardu towns.

These demands were made at a meeting of the council, which was attended by the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) chairman Dr Jamil, who is also vice-chancellor of the NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi during his recent visit to Gilgit.

The PEC has opened its branch to Northern Areas by appointing a liaison officer in Gilgit.

Dr Jamil held meetings with the local engineers and assured them that their problems would be solved.

Earlier at the meeting with the PEC chairman, the NAEF stressed the need for the implementation of the PEC Act to the region so that a large number of jobless engineers could be absorbed in various departments.

REFUGEES:The Northern Areas Administration has expedited its efforts to send back thousands of Afghan refugees settled in Northern Areas, reliable sources told Dawn.

The sources added that intelligence and security agencies had been collecting the data on refugees who have been residing in the region since 1980s.

The reasons behind this prompt action against the refugees were stated to be security-related issues in the current law and order scenario, the sources added.

The sources said that nearly 70,000 Afghans were residing in the five districts of the Northern Areas and majority of whom had entered from the western district of Ghizer due to absence of any checking mechanism.