Daily Times

Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister, Hafeezur Rehman, on Tuesday, announced plans to carve two additional districts from the present Diamer district in the province.

He said this while speaking at a public gathering in Chilas. Rehman claimed that the Deral Valley and the Tangir Valley in Diamer would be created as two new districts and a notification in this regard would be issued next month.

With this, the total number of districts would increase to 12 in Gilgit-Baltistan.

The CM asserted that Rs 50 billion would be designated in the next annual budget for the new districts.

He added, “This is a message for our political opponents who claim that we cannot do so.”

Talking about other developmental projects, CM Rehman said that as many as 400 people had been provided with employment in the area.

A 200-bed hospital would also be completed in Diamer within seven months, he maintained. The chief minister claimed to soon provide Rs1 billion to construct a polo ground in Chilas.

He also assured to resolve the issue of shortage of medical experts in government hospitals.

Last week, Punjab Minister for Health, Dr Yasmin Rashid, had announced that as many as 11 ambulances and other medical equipment to the tune of Rs 200 million were being gifted by the Punjab Health Department to the people of Gilgit Baltistan in a goodwill gesture.

As per details, the health package for the people of GB included seven automatic Elisa, nine chemistry analyzers, four digital radiography, nine X-ray film processors, 22 dental unit components, 22 dental instruments, seven bio-chemistry analysers, four c-arms, 30 cardiac monitors, 70 cardiac beds and 11 ambulances.