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Airline, bank proposals shelved Omar urges early completion of OPF housing scheme

ISLAMABAD: The Minister for Labour Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis, Omar Asghar Khan, has emphasised the need to complete the OPF housing scheme in Zone-V Islamabad to accommodate the overseas Pakistanis who have applied for the plots as early as possible.

Addressing to a meeting of Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) here at its head office, the minister reviewed the on-going housing schemes and other projects and said that when the OPF had already developed a housing scheme in Zone-V, there was hardly any need of developing other two sectors, D-13 and E-13, in Islamabad.

However, it was decided that the applicants of D-13 and E-13 may now apply for Zone-V.

Labour Secretary Yousaf Kamal, Senior Joint Secretary M Zahoor Anwar Malik, Joint Secretary Jhangeer Bashar and other senior official of ministry and OPF attended the meeting. OPF Managing Director Shahid Rafi briefed the meeting about the on-going projects of the foundation.

The minister rejected the proposal of launching 'Overseas Airlines' and a bank in view of the prevailing economic situation, after thorough discussion and examination. He said that due to the present economic atmosphere, financial constraints of OPF and encouragement of private sector, both proposed projects of airline and bank were found unfeasible. He said government intends to encourage the investment of overseas Pakistanis in viable projects so that foreign investment can be encouraged.

The OPF managing director said that the OPF housing scheme in Zone-V, had been planned over an area of 5,000 kanals. He said its designing and planning work was based on natural contours and topography of the land. It has all the characteristics of a self-contained modern city having its club, educational institutions, hospital, libraries, entertainment parks and lakes studded with pre-constructed houses and apartments. He told the meeting that all necessary arrangements were being completed and it was hoped that development work of the scheme would start soon.

Omar appreciated the efforts of OPF in initiating the various schemes and efficient handling, processing and disbursement of United National Compensation Commission claims among the claimants of Gulf war affectees.

He stressed the need to work hard in a clean and transparent manner for achievement of targets and objectives of OPF set by the present government. APP