ISLAMABAD, June 24: The Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) board of governors on Thursday approved Rs766 millions budget for the fiscal 2004-05.

According to a press release issued here, the board meeting held at the OPF head office was presided over by federal secretary for Labour, Manpower, and Overseas Pakistanis, Mohammad Humayun Farshori.

The board also approved the allocation of Rs45 millions for the construction of OPF Girls College, Rawalpindi, public schools in Hangu and Sheikhupura and a hostel building at the OPF Boys College, Islamabad. Besides, funds for the merit scholarships, teachers training programmes and donations of books were also allocated.

The board was informed that the OPF will introduce new technical trades of auto-electrician in its poly trade schools in Swat and Peshawar and arrange training of heavy machinery operators in collaboration with the Construction Machinery Training Institute (CMIT), Islamabad.

The third course of nursing training programmes for capacity building will start in August at the National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad. The board also approved an amount of Rs325 million for the development work at the ongoing housing scheme Zone-V Islamabad, Peshawar and Lahore extensions.

Mr Farshori emphasised an early start and completion of development work in the existing housing schemes of OPF after completing the formalities in a transparent manner.

The meeting was attended besides others by the OPF managing director, Khalid Latif, joint secretary labour, Ata Mohammad Raja, joint secretary HRD, Akbar Malik and OPF secretary, Habibur Rehman Khan.