ISLAMABAD, 19 April 2008 — Prime Minister Yusaf Raza Gilani said yesterday that Pakistan would construct one million houses for retired government employees.
Replying to a question in the National Assembly, he said the construction of these houses would start soon. “It is part of our 100 days’ program to provide one million housing units to government employees when they retire from service,” he added. The prime minister said provincial governments would also implement the program.
Replying to a question on tourism, the prime minister said the 2005 earthquake badly affected the country’s tourism industry. Another reason for a slump in tourist arrivals, he said, was violence in areas frequented by tourists. “Tourism flourishes if the law and order is under control.”
Gilani said the new government would focus on improving not only facilities at tourist sites but also security.
He said in areas such as Swat, Kaghan and lake Saiful Malook, infrastructure and tourist facilities were badly damaged by the devastating 2005 earthquake. He hoped that once the infrastructure and facilities in these areas were fully restored, the flow of tourists would improve significantly.
Gilani later met with US Ambassador Anne W. Patterson in his office and reiterated the government’s resolve to fight terrorism and extremism. He said a multipronged strategy was being evolved to address the issue effectively.
The prime minister said that Pakistan was currently facing food and energy crises and the government was determined to deal with these on a war footing.
Gilani said Pakistan had been consistently fighting terrorism and sacrificed a lot in this regard including the loss of Pakistan People’s Party leader Benazir Bhutto.Gilani said the government would pursue both long and short-term initiatives that include political, socioeconomic and administrative measures to address the issue.
The prime minister said economic empowerment of the people in the federally administered tribal areas, or FATA, was the key to counter extremism in the area. He was confident that government initiatives would help boost economic activities in the area as well as create opportunities to improve the living standard of the people. He said terrorism should be dealt with the same way the government eradicated the poppy cultivation — through offering appropriate economic incentives.
The prime minister said Pakistan accorded high priority to its strategic relationship with the United States and was keen to expand relations in various fields. Pakistan, he added, was also eager to enhance cooperation in the fields of education, health, energy, science and technology. Referring to his telephone conversation with US President George W. Bush, Gilani said it was an encouraging interaction and he was looking forward to meeting him during his visit to United States.
