20 June 2004	Sunday	01 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

GILGIT, June 19: A final decision regarding changing the Islamiyat syllabus will be made in due course of time by the federal ministry of education because of its being a federal subject , says Federal Minister for Water and Power and Chief Executive of the Northern Areas Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao.

He said this while presiding over a meeting to review the law and order situation in the region here on Saturday.

He said that interim arrangements were being made by the local administration to solve the syllabus issue.

Stressing the need for peace and sectarian harmony, the federal minister said that sustainable development was not possible without peace.

During his two-day stay in Gilgit, the federal minister met with representatives of the peace committee, Sunni, Shia and Ismaili communities and the Northern Areas High Court Bar Association.

The minister also held a meeting with the Commander of armed forces stationed in the Northern Areas Maj-Gen Tahir Mehmood.

The Minister arrived in Gilgit on June 18 amid tight security arrangements and the hotel where he was staying here was strictly off limits for the people, including the journalists.