July 17, 2008	Thursday	Rajab 13, 1429

PESHAWAR, July 16: NWFP Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti has sought the support of the federal government, other provinces and the world community in improving infrastructure of the province and providing maximum job opportunities to people.

“The people of this province are fighting a war meant for the survival of the entire country and they suffered a lot and rendered numerous sacrifices during the unrest,” Mr Hoti said while talking to Polish Ambassador to Pakistan Krzvstof Debnicki, who called on him at his office here on Wednesday.The chief minister maintained that besides skilled manpower, political and administrative reforms in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas were essential for the success of the US initiative to establish Reconstruction Opportunity Zones there.

The prolonged stay of Afghan refugees, he said, had badly affected the social sector of the NWFP and the province needed to be assisted in its urban development.

Mr Hoti said his government had adopted a comprehensive policy regarding development and improvement in various social sectors of the provincial capital. Under the policy, he said, 11 underpasses and overhead bridges would be built in the city.

Referring to Reconstruction Opportunity Zones in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, the chief minister said the basic advantage of the preferential trade programme was the access of locally-made products to the US market.