GILGIT, Oct 22: Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas Tahir Iqbal who reached Gilgit on Monday to supervise arrangements for the president’s tour inaugurated the provincial secretariat of the Pakistan Muslim League in Gilgit and donated Rs50,000 for it.

He appreciated the efforts of provincial PML president Northern Areas Abdul Wahid for strengthening the party in the region.

He said the future belonged to the people of the Northern Areas as the government was taking elaborate steps to improve the socio-economic conditions of the region.

Mr Iqbal said the widening of the Karakoram Highway and the proposed railway tracks between Pakistan and China would bring about a revolution in the region by transforming it into a trade and tourism hub.