OKARA, Jan 29: President Pervez Musharraf has announced the construction of a railway underpass near the District Courts Complex.

Speaking to a big public gathering at the Sports Stadium near the District Courts complex here on Saturday, the president also directed the chief minister to build Syedwala Bridge at river Ravi which would reduce the distance between Multan and Islamabad to at least 100 kilometre.

President Musharraf said the Punjab government was already spending Rs6 billion for the uplift of the Lower Bari Doab Canal. On the demand of the local traders, the president also announced the establishment of an industrial zone in Okara after consultation with the chief minister.

The present government, he said, was cementing about 87,000 water courses with an expenditure of Rs66 billion in the country so that water could be supplied to the farmers at the tail-end.

The president also laid the foundation stone of a cadet college in Okara on the request of Defence Minister Rao Sikander Iqbal.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi said that the present government had taken solid steps for the alleviation of poverty in rural areas.

He said now the villagers could take loan from Rs10,000 to Rs50,000 on personal guaranty for the development of the livestock.

Earlier, Sindh Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim and Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool arrived the Sports Stadium to welcome the president.

Federal ministers Aftab Ahmad Sherpao, Faisal Saleh Hayat, Raza Hiraj, Dr Sher Afghan, Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Tahira Zeb Khaili, District Nazim Syed Sajjad Haider, Sahiwal Nazim Rai Hasan Nawaz, and scores of legislators were also present on the occasion.

After the public gathering, Defence Minister Rao Sikander Iqbal hosted a luncheon in the honour of President Pervez Musharraf in the District Council lawns.

During the luncheon, DBA president Rana Shaukat Ali Khan and Punjab Bar Council member Mehmoodur Rehman Lashari met the president and demanded the construction of a housing colony for the lawyers.