Ismaili.NET - Heritage F.I.E.L.D.

A non-government organizations have formed a mega forum involving various stockholders of the region to encourage public participation and promote awareness for participatory planning and integrated programming in the Northern Areas.

The residents of Ganish town in Hunza have asked the Aga Khan Culture Service Pakistan to vacate a 700-year- old fort which was being brought under AKCSP control in the name of renovation.The heirs of the Ganish Fort argued that the AKCSP took possession of their fort illegally and without their permission. 'A large number of tourists are visiting the fort every year, but the proceeds earned through tourism are not being paid to its legal heirs,' they said.

Canada has pledged C$8.2 million to support rural development programming in Northern Areas and Chitral.The Institutional Development for Poverty Reduction (IDPR) programme will be funded through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
Canadian Charge d'Affairs Stuart Hughes, announced this at the project launch ceremony here on Friday.
Also present at the ceremony were Cida country director for Pakistan Doug Williams as well as senior government officials, representatives local governments of Northern Areas and Chitral and members of the community.

President General Pervez Musharraf’s visit to a renovated fort in the Shigar Valley in Skardu District, Northern Areas, was postponed because of heavy rain in the area, sources told Daily Times on Monday. The president will visit the region today (Tuesday).

The army and Northern Areas administration have finalized arrangements for President Pervez Musharraf’s visit to Skardu and Gilgit on Monday. Official sources said arrangements for the president’s visit had been finalized, but they were keeping their fingers crossed as far as the weather, which had been obstructing flights to the region for the last three days, was concerned.

Intermittent rain in the last three days had prevented Prince Karim Aga Khan from flying into Skardu.

The army and security agencies strengthened security arrangements in the Northern Areas on Saturday ahead of an expected visit of President Gen Pervez Musharraf and Prince Karim Aga Khan to the Northern Areas on Sunday. Sources said that heavy police contingents had started rehearsal in Gilgit and Skardu towns where the president and his guest Aga Khan were scheduled to visit for inaugurating a rehabilitated fort in Shigar and Sust dry port in upper Hunza near the Pakistan-China border.

Prince Karim Agha Khan and President Gen Pervez Musharraf will visit the Northern Areas in the last week of this month, sources told Dawn. Northern Areas administration and the District Council in a meeting reviewed preparations and arrangements for the visit.

The meeting was presided over by Chief Secretary Nadeem Manzoor. Chairman District Council Gilgit Muhammad Hussain was given a briefing about the visit and preparations for a public gathering.