08 October 2004	Friday	22 Shaban 1425

ABBOTTABAD, Oct 7: A tug-of-war between the Abbottabad district government and the NWFP provincial government over the control of the Galyat Development Authority has taken a serious turn after the Nawanshehr Town Council opposed the handing over of the GDA to the province.

The Galyat Development Authority was established by former chief minister Mahtab Ahmed Khan who had granted Rs10 million to the authority as seed money for the uplift of Galyat. However, these funds could not be utilized and were withdrawn by the government two years back. The money was subsequently returned to the GDA following the district government's efforts, which was also handed over its control.

But, the provincial minister for local government, Sardar Mohammad Idrees, who was elected from Galyat, gave the GDA back in the provincial government's control. In a press statement issued on Wednesday, Sardar Idrees said that in the past the funds meant for Galyat were utilized in other areas and no development work was carried out in the entire belt except in some posh localities.

He said that Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani would announce a development package for Galyat in his next visit to the tourist resort. On the other hand, the Nawanshehr Town Council in a meeting presided over by Abbottabad district Naib Nazim Javed Abbasi opposed the hand over of GDA to the provincial government.

The meeting noted that during the past one and a half years, the district government executed many development schemes in Galyat, including link roads, repair of Ayubia chair lift and construction of public parks in Nathiagali and Donga Gali. It was said that the district government had also planned to construct a township scheme in the area to generate more funds for the uplift of Galyat.