February 28, 2006	Tuesday	Muharram 29, 1427

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PESHAWAR, Feb 27: A 25-member delegation from the Foreign Sciences Academy Islamabad, comprising trainee diplomats, was given a detailed briefing on the Frontier province and Fata on Monday.

Additional secretary, Home and TA Department, attended the briefing, which took place at the Civil Secretariat under the chairmanship of Senior Member Board of Revenue Gulzar Khan.

The delegation was briefed about the geographical location of the province, FATA, socio-economic indicators, uplift strategy and future plans of the provincial government and the law and order situation.

It was told that the law and order situation of the province was satisfactory and there were great opportunities for foreign investment in the energy sector. It added that last year’s investment conference held in Peshawar was giving encouraging results as a good number of foreign investors had shown interest in investing here.

It was further informed that female education was on top of the government agenda and establishment of a women’s university and a girls’ campus at the Khyber Medical College were some of the steps being taken for the promotion of female education.

Responding to a question, Gulzar Khan said that the repatriation programme of Afghan refugees was gradual, UNHCR-assisted and voluntary.

Replying to another question, he said that the reasons for a low female literacy rate were social and economic.

The delegation was also briefed about the losses caused due to the Oct 8 earthquake and the government’s steps regarding payment of compensation and providing relief to the affected people.

TIMBER TRADE: Authorities in the province are taking measures to protect local forests and stop the illegal smuggling of timber, a provincial minister said on Monday.

Provincial Minister for Environment and Forests Shah Raz Khan was speaking at a meeting convened by him to discuss ways and means to redress grievances of timber association at Peshawar.

The minister said that timber associations would be provided maximum facilities.

While lifting a ban on loading of trucks in Malakand circle, the meeting decided to permit timber merchants to load trucks according to their capacity and to give them challan according to procedures laid down by the forest department.—Agencies