PESHAWAR, May 11: A former MNA has claimed that the people of Chitral want President Gen Pervez Musharraf as president for the next five years because of the services he rendered to the backward areas.

Speaking at a press conference here on Friday, Shehzada Mohiuddin said the people of Chitral were thankful to President Musharraf, who had initiated multi-billion-rupee uplift projects to improve the socio-economic conditions of the people.

He claimed that the president had announced a number of infrastructure-related projects, like that of the Lowari Tunnel, which would help the area to prosper. He was of the view that previous governments had been claiming that they had taken the steps for the uplift of the backward areas, but it was President Musharraf’s government which have had taken practical measures in this regard.

Mr Mohiuddin said that for the continuation of the multi-billion-rupee uplift projects initiated by the present government, President Musharraf should be given a five-year extension.