ISLAMABAD, Aug 3: Azad Kashmir Prime Minister Sardar Attiq Ahmed Khan has said that model science schools will be established in each district of Azad Kashmir within next six months.

The AJK prime minister was talking to a students group from Azad Kashmir University, headed by University Coordinator Zafar Iqbal, at Kashmir House here on Thursday.

Sardar Attiq said steps had been proposed for reorganising the education system on scientific basis in Azad Kashmir. He noted that model science schools would be set up in Azad Kashmir. These schools would be given the status of colleges gradually, he added.

He said a taskforce would be formed for bringing forward the talented youth of Azad Kashmir. “We have no dearth of talent but there is need for proper planning to utilise this talent in right direction,” he added.

He said the Federal Ministry of Education had been told arrange scholarships for Azad Kashmir students from foreign countries. The quota for AJK students would be fixed in accordance with the population, he added.

The AJK prime minister said a website, containing information about Azad Kashmir, would be launched very soon. He urged the students to observe the various government announcements and provide feedback.

He said steps would be taken to address the problems in Rawalpindi campus of Azad Kashmir University.

He said that Ph.D teachers would be appointed in schools in Azad Kashmir and science subjects would be made compulsory from the first grade in next six months.-Online

Bagh quake survivors complain of neglect BAGH, Aug 3: Over 10 months have passed since the deadly October 8 earthquake struck the northern parts of the country, but the rehabilitation work in Bagh has not been completed.

According to Bagh quake survivors, a large number of people in the area are still living in old tents without proper shelter, while colleges, schools and other educational institutions are running without proper arrangements.

They complained that the local administration, with the backing of influential people, were distributing relief goods among their favourites.

They said the world body supervising the rehabilitation work as well as the Government of Pakistan were not aware of the actual situation.

The master plan of Bagh had not been chalked out yet, they said, adding that no alternate land had been provided to the quake victims whose houses had been demolished due to landsliding.—Online