MARDAN, Nov 24: The inaugural ceremony of setting up a model village at Samar Bagh, a far flung area of the district, was held on Wednesday.

The four-year project has been jointly financed by Human Development Foundation (HDF) and Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America (Appna). The area was badly affected by recent floods. Most of the houses in the area were destroyed by the devastating flood.

The inaugural ceremony was attended by HDF board member Maj-Gen (retired) Dr Farrukh Seir, Appna representative Dr Jamil Farooqi, elders of the area and flood survivors.

Dr Farooqi said on the occasion that Pakistanis in America were shocked when flood hit different parts of the country. He said that his organisation immediately moved to Pakistan and started different kinds of relief activities in the affected areas. He stated that Appna and HDF had jointly launched the project in Samar Bagh, consisted of 333 houses. He said that they planned to provide all basic and modern facilities of life to the affected people of the area.

He said that they wanted other social welfare organisations and philanthropists to follow them.