07 February 2004	Saturday	15 Zilhaj 1424

ISLAMABAD, Feb 6: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali on Friday said his administration was moving fast to improve the country's health sector by updating relevant laws and rules because the health of the people was very dear to it.

He said this while exchanging views with Health Minister Mohammad Nasir Khan on matters relating to improvement and expansion of health facilities at the Prime Minister's Secretariat.

The prime minister said his government would never compromise on matters relating to the health of the people and referred to the under-process anti-adulteration law, that had recently been approved by the cabinet.

He said the 20 per cent increase in the budgetary allocation for health sector would also go a long way towards improving facilities in hospitals and dispensaries throughout the country, but the government also needed support of the NGOs and well-to-do people to accomplish this gigantic task.

He urged the NGOs and philanthropists to come forward and join hands with the government by establishing a network of trust hospitals and dispensaries across the country.

The prime minister also assured the health minister that the government would continue to strive for further improvement in the health cover.

The health minister also apprised the prime minister of the latest developments taking place in the country's health sector and said the government policies were bringing dividends and a lot of improvement was visible in the urban as well as in the rural areas of the country.

Meanwhile, talking to Haji Mohammad Iqbal, President All Baltistan Tour Operators Association, at the Prime Minister's Secretariat, the prime minister said the government attached high priority to the development of the Northern Areas and improving the quality of life of the people there.

He said the people of the Northern Areas had rendered great sacrifices for the country that was a golden chapter of the country's history. He said the government was striving to bring the under-developed areas of the country on a par with the developed ones.

The area has huge potential to generate income and employment, which must be exploited, he said. Referring to the spectacular natural beauty of the area, Jamali said the tourism potential needed to be fully exploited to raise the standard of living of the people.

Mr Iqbal felicitated the prime minister on the smooth and successful conduct of the 12th SAARC conference and said it would help enhance the country's standing in the comity of nations.