SKARDU, June 5: The government is giving special attention to the socio-economic development of Northern Areas and a record number of projects have been launched during the past two years.

However, some more steps are needed on the political and constitutional status of the region to remove the growing sense of deprivation among the people, specially the youth.

This was stated by the Deputy Chief Executive of Northern Areas, Fida Mohammad Nashad, while talking to Dawn here.

For the first time the area has been included in the Public Sector Development Plan under which major projects have been launched.

Mr Nashad said construction of four major roads — Gilgit-Chitral, Chilas-Kaghan, Astore-Deosai, and Skardu-Deosai and improvement of Gilgit-Skardu Road — establishment of Karakoram International University, and three information technology centres in different districts, allocation of funds for flood protection, extension of Khushhal Pakistan Programme to the region, increase in wheat allocation, provision of special funds for completion of Juglot Gah and Naltar Power projects, and the multi-purpose Sadpara dam project, besides a substantial increase of Rs1.2 billion in the annual development budget, are the few examples of the interest the government was taking for the region.

He said the people of Northern Areas are patriotic and consider themselves Pakistanis. Therefore, they should be given all the basic human rights as per the Supreme Court verdict of 1999.