HYDERABAD, Oct 13: Prominent Kashmiri leaders have appealed to Gen Pervez Musharraf to launch rescue operation in remote villages of Azad Kashmir which have so far remain neglected.

Speaking at a news conference at the press club on Thursday, Sardar Abdul Qayoom Khan, Khaliq Hussain Chaudhry, Sardar Ziaraf Khan and Sardar Mohammad Hayat Mughal, said that it was heart-warming to learn that Gen Pervez Musharraf and the Pakistan government launched massive search and rescue operation and rehabilitation efforts in the earthquake devastated areas of Azad Kashmir.

They said that no relief had reached some of the remote villages of Azad Kashmir so far.

They identified these areas as Qadirabad, Pinyali, Kharal Mulla Yala, Kharal Abbasiyan, Bassoti, Bandiyan Kot, Raqba Chanala, Panyala, Chandiyola Kothi, Jabuta, Kahu Kot, Shaheed Galla and Ali Sojal.

They said they were in constant touch with their relatives in above villages on mobile telephones who had informed them that no relief had reached these villages so far.

They said that now it had become difficult for them to keep in touch with their families as due to breakdown in electricity the batteries of their mobile phones could not be charged.

They appealed to the government, NGOs, international agencies and political parties to provide succour to residents of the above neglected areas.

DCO: DCO Mohammad Hussain Syed has said that as many as 47 development schemes at a cost of Rs100 million have been approved under the Drought Emergency Relief Assistance (DERA-II) programme while identification of other schemes upto a cost of Rs170 million was in progress.

Speaking at a meeting here on Wednesday, he said the government was taking keen interest in the development of the social sector as such various programmes had been initiated at the grass roots level and DERA-II was one of them.

He said under the programme an amount of Rs270 million had been allocated for the Hyderabad district, of which, 47 development schemes of the social sector have been identified and approved by the DDWP.

He said that officers were working to identify other schemes upto the cost of Rs170 million in consultation with public representatives and other organizations.

He urged the officers not to exceed 40 per cent share of development fund in each sector of development.

He asked them to prepare a strategy in such a way so that all development schemes upto the cost of Rs270 million were completed within the stipulated period.