ISLAMABAD, May 8: President Pervez Musharraf told a Pakistan Muslim League delegation on Monday that a special development programme would be introduced in the budget for 2006-7 for effectively uplifting the under-developed districts of the four provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Northern Areas.

Sources told Dawn that the president assured the delegation that substantial funding would be made available for the under-developed districts.

He said although a lot of development had taken place during the past six years, much more needed to be done in terms of providing basic facilities to people, especially in the under-developed areas.

The president said the officials concerned had been directed to carry out the special development programme during the next financial year.

“I will be giving my vision about development and additional development projects and programmes to be incorporated in the new budget for the welfare of under-developed districts of the country,” a participant of the meeting quoted the president as saying.