PESHAWAR, Sept 15: NWFP Governor Ali Mohammed Jan Aurakzai has said that the government is taking steps to develop far-flung areas of the province and solve people’s problems.

“Steps taken in this regard in the recent past are quite visible,” said Mr Aurakzai while talking to an 11-member delegation of Chitral Youth Organisation (CYO) which called on him at the Governor House here on Friday.

Talking to the CYO delegation, which represents Peshawar-based residents of Chitral, the governor mentioned the launch of Lawari Tunnel Project and said that on completion, it would enable people to have an all-weather access to the rest of the country and open new vistas for their socio-economic well-being. Besides, it would create scope for an additional trade route with Central Asian States, he added.

“The credit definitely goes to President General Pervez Musharraf whose personal interest paved the way for initiating work on this multi-purpose project,” he said.

About certain difficulties facing the students hailing from Chitral, Mr Aurakzai particularly assured solution to the accommodation problem. He asked the authorities concerned to coordinate with vice-chancellors to take necessary steps to solve the problems of students in Chitral and other remote areas.

Delegation leader Sadiq Ameen, who is also the president of the organisation, apprised the governor of the problems being faced by the area people. MEETING: The governor presided over a high-level meeting in Peshawar on Thursday to explore the groundwater potential in Fata.

Groundwater specialist Abdul Rahman Mian, Secretary to Governor Azmat Hanif Orakzai and other officials of Fata Secretariat attended the meeting.

The meeting decided that a detailed study on water potential in Fata would be carried out.

The governor said that proposals for initiating joint pilot projects should be prepared. “Water shortage in Fata is a serious issue which should be addressed urgently,” he said.—Agencies