OKARA, Feb 3: President General Pervez Musharraf has said that a pre-partition road via Head Sulemanki will open provided there is any success in the ongoing dialogue with India.

Addressing a public meeting at the Jinnah Stadium here on Saturday, the president announced a number of development projects for Okara amid applause. Musharraf had arrived in the town at the invitation of Defence Minister Rao Sikandar Iqbal.

The president said the Okara District Headquarters Hospital would get a dialysis centre and a CT scan machine. The existing cardiac ward would be upgraded to a cardiac centre. The president announced the establishment of a sub-campus of the Faisalabad agriculture university in Deepalpur. He said an export processing zone would be established on Okara-Deepalpur road and funds would be provided for sewerage systems of Okara and Deepalpur. He said that a bridge would be constructed at Syedwala at the river Ravi and a sum of Rs340 million had already been released for the project.

Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi addressed the gathering and said that the Punjab government would launch its five-marla scheme for the poor from Okara. Under the scheme, resident of katchi abadis would be given ownership rights. He said the Balloki headworks would be remodelled for Rs16 billion, which would help provide 1,200 cusecs of additional water for Okara. He said the Punjab government had given Rs3.5 billion to Okara and the federal government had also given a like amount to the district in the last four years.

He said that 100 acres would be allocated for the divisional public schools in Renala Khurd and Deepalpur and a sum of Rs130 million had already been issued for the purpose. He announced that Renala Khurd Rural Health Centre would be upgraded.

Governor Khalid Maqbool said that Pakistan under the leadership of Musharraf was emerging the leader of the Islamic world. Ministers Dr Sher Afgan and Sheikh Rashid were also present in the meeting.

Earlier, the president inaugurated the Okara-bypass and laid foundation stone of Syedwala bridge.

The president also spoke at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the embryo transfer technology and semen production unit at the military farms.