August 24, 2003	Sunday	Jumadi-us-Sani 25

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GILGIT, Aug 23: The Northern Areas administration has sought help from the government to deal with the elements creating disturbances over syllabi-related controversy in Gilgit and Baltistan districts, Home Secretary Saeed Khan told newsmen on Saturday.

“We had submitted a proposal to Interior Secretary Tasneem Noorani for sending over 800 reserved police of Punjab to the region during his visit last week as we lack the force required to deal with large-scale protests and angry mobs,” he said.

He ruled out any possibility of calling in the army to control the law and order situation and said the civil administration would be reinforced following the arrival of the reserved force.

Mr Khan who also holds the post of the region’s information secretary, said over 25 FIRs had been registered against various persons involved in ransacking and arson in Skardu last week but the arrests had been delayed due to lack of adequate force to control the situation.

Replying to a question, he said that the education ministry had invited religious leaders of Northern Areas on Sept 4 to Islamabad, where the curriculum review committee would hear their objections.