SIALKOT, June 28: The Unicef and the ILO certified in their survey reports that the students’ dropout ratio in Sialkot district’s primary schools has reduced to 0.7 per cent from 45 per cent.

This was stated by Sialkot District Nazim Mian Naeem Javaid while talking to newsmen here on Saturday.

He said that all children of 5-7 years of age had been enrolled in the primary schools under the Universal Primary Education (UPE) programme. “Sialkot has become the first district of South Asia, having 100 per cent literacy rate,” he said.

The programme was launched by the Punjab government with the collaboration of the Unicef, the ILO and businessmen of Sialkot.

The Nazim said that the district government allocated Rs20 million for the construction of a post-graduate block at the Government Murray College.

He said that the construction work on the Sialkot Medical College project would be completed in 2005, at a cost of Rs400 million.

The district government allocated Rs70 million for the promotion of sports in Sialkot. A sum of Rs20 million would be spent to lay an international standard astro turf at the Sialkot hockey stadium.

The district government would spend Rs250 million for providing better health and cleanliness facilities to the people. A trauma centre would be established at the Allama Iqbal Memorial Hospital at a cost of Rs20 million.

The Nazim said that another 31 far-off villages in the district would be electrified soon. All villages in the district will be electrified by the year 2004.

The district government would soon start work on the Rs300 million project for the provision of Sui gas to all the areas from Sialkot-Uggoki-Sambrial and to Daska-Bhopalwala-Sambrial.

The Nazim said that all the 504 plots in Sialkot’s labour colony had been allotted to industrial workers and labourers on merit.

The district government has also approved a housing scheme for the low-income groups on 200 acres in Sialkot.

Seven killed: As many as seven people were killed and three injured seriously in separate incidents in the district, police said.

In Sattokey, Daska tehsil, Mallomahay UC Nazim Fazal Ahmad Dogar’s nephew Mohammad Khaliq was shot dead and son Shahid injured, allegedly by their rivals in the Rana Zulfiqar group.

The Daska Sadar police have registered a case against the accused, with no arrest.

In Waan, Begowala, Zafar Iqbal alias Mithu allegedly killed his brother-in-law Sajid and seriously injured mother-in-law Shahida Bibi with the help of four unidentified armed companions.

The main accused, Mithu, had married Sajid’s sister after kidnapping her from her house about six months ago.

The Begowala police have registered a case with no arrest.

In Nangal Beriyan, Badiana, prayer-leader’s young son Ejaz was shot dead by five armed people.

In Mianapura West, Hajipura, property dealer Tauqeer Abbas was allegedly shot dead by two persons over old enmity. One of the accused was identified as Mohammad Arshad.

In Jaamkey Cheema, Motra, a married woman Tanvir Bibi was shot by her neighbour Shamshad over old enmity.

In Sabzpeer, Pasrur, a youth Zafar Ahmad was shot dead and his cousin Saeed Ahmad injured seriously by three armed persons, Shahid, Qamer and Sagheer, over old enmity.

In Sabzkot, Pasrur, villager Riaz Ahmad was allegedly shot dead by Ishrat and Qaisar for his refusal to pay them protection money.