KHARAN: Extreme drought conditions and a spectre of famine have been haunting Kharan district of Kalat division for want of sufficient rains for the last five years. This has compelled about 50 per cent of the entire 42,000 population of the district to migrate to lower Sind. The scanty and poor population that does not have the capacity to move to fertile fields has been groaning under appalling food famine conditions in various parts of the districts.

A number of poverty-stricken people, when contacted by visiting Quetta newsmen, said that they had been compelled to take local herbs “Treat” and “Tagas” which in fact are fodder for the camel.

With tears in their eyes, most of these people told Pressmen that a good deal of cattle had died for want of fodder while some human beings had also died of hunger. People were even compelled to sell their camels at giveaway prices of Rs80 which in normal times would cost not less than Rs600 each.

The Deputy Commissioner of Kharan said the Government had been doing everything possible to provide relief to the people with its limited resources. — Agencies

13 States buy plots in Islamabad

RAWALPINDI: Thirteen countries have so far purchased land for the construction of their Chanceries and other buildings in the diplomatic enclave of Islamabad.

The Capital Development Authority has sold to these countries land measuring more than 3, 23,000 square yards, at a cost of over Rs64 lakh.

The United Kingdom has purchased the largest plot of land, measuring over 1,14,000 square yards. India comes next with nearly 52,000 square yards, and France third with 36,000 square yards. Other countries which have acquired land are Australia, Sweden, Italy, Burma, Austria, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the Vatican, West Germany and Turkey.