October 27, 2007	Saturday	Shawwal 14, 1428

MUZAFFARABAD, Oct 26: AJK Prime Minister Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan is reported to have approved a master plan for Muzaffarabad, but with some conditions including relocation of state-level offices to Chattar Klas, some 20 kilometres south of here.

“The state-level offices, except the supreme and high courts, should be relocated to Chattar Klas. Apart from that, land should be acquired in Basnara and Raru for government offices,” the prime minister is reported to have written on the draft of the master plan.

A notification in accordance with the observations of the prime minister is likely to be issued by the works secretariat in a day or two, according to official sources.

A spokesman for the prime minister asserted that his observations and directives were in line with the recommendations made in the draft of the master plan prepared by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica). However, the sources feared that the premier’s ‘note’ could again trigger protest demonstrations in Muzaffarabad.

According to the recommendations of Jica, government’s administrative structures should be based in three strategic locations: Muzaffarabad municipal administration in the main old city; Muzaffarabad district administration in Jalalabad (the site of old civil secretariat); and AJK state government administration in Chattar Domel (at the existing location). And in case of additional requirement, some offices shall be constructed in Raru and Basnra, within 5km from the new civil secretariat.

Jica also proposed that institutions of higher education, including the old and new university campus, should be transferred to and integrated at the new location in Chattar Klas. The former campuses will be used for urban open spaces, to be used as recreational spaces, but as evacuation and rescue spaces in emergencies.

Sources said that Jica’s plan was okayed by the federal planning commission on Aug 28 but when its final draft was sent to the AJK premier for formal approval, he sent it back to the works secretariat with a note that “relocation/expansion of the state (administration) offices should be incorporated (in the plan).”