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Compensation to be paid within a week: Finance minister
VoH Monitoring Desk

GILGIT, October 21: Compensation for people affected by the Attabad Lake will be released within a week, said Gilgit-Baltistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Ali Akhtar on Sunday. “We have received the money. Every family will get Rs800,000 within a week,” Akhtar told a national daily. About 150 families lost their houses, cattle, cultivable land and standing crops when a landslide in early January created a lake by blocking the Hunza River. At least 20 people died and many others were injured. The lake has submerged five villages upstream and the government had to shift nearly 2,000 people from the area.
Despite carving out a drainage spillway in June, the lake is threatening to submerge 36 more villages downstream. It now stretches over 23 kilometres. “We have planned to increase the depth of the spillway by 30 metres sometime in the next month,” Akhtar said. Frustrated by uncomfortable life in camps, the displaced people have time and again taken to the streets calling for compensation and have even clashed with the police. “We hope things will settle down now,” said the minister, adding that the people of Gojal and Hunza should realise constraints faced by the government. The minister said that Hunza people must pay children’s school fees. People, he said, should not depend on the government for everything. “I must also insist that people must not protest against things like the withdrawal of free boat service,” he said, referring to the protest in this regard in Hunza and Gilgit.
When asked if the government would pay the outstanding amount to Karakorum International University as it had waived the tuition of students belonging to Attaabad, he said that the university will be paid the due amount. First published in The Express Tribune

Naujawanan-Ahl Sunnat demands for compensation against arison
Breaking News
By: Sajid Mir

GILGIT, October 19: Naujawanan-Ahl Sunnat has called upon regional government to pay them the pledged compensation for the violence that result in loss of properties in the Yadgar vicinity in the heart of the city. Speaking to a large gathering, leaders of the organization slamed regional government for its negligence and delay in payment of compensation. They demanded of the government to bring the culprits to the justice so that no one would dare to embark on violence in the city. some of the speakers also put the demand before higher authorities to shift the secteraite offices including Chinef Minister house and office to Jutial, a relatively peaceful locality in the city. Participants chanted slogans against violence and in the favor of peace.

Chinese language classes to sarat in KIU soon; finacials obstacles about to end: VC
Readers Time Report

GILGIT, October 18: (Ejaz Karim) According to Karakorum International University (KIU) officials, sydincate committee was considering on proposals from different academic circles to initiate Chinese language classes in order to reduce communication gap between the population on both sides of the two countries.
A managment offificial told that one of major reason behind this initiative was to cater the needs of business class and students willing to get abroad for further studies especially that in Chinese universities. Indian top universities under its new education ministery, is said to have also about to embark on establishment of special departments to study Chinese History, socio-economic development and Chinese language classes to panetrate in one of the expending economies of the world. In Pakistan, the initiative to start Chinese language is being expected to benefit a large section of society.
On the other hand, Dr. Najma Najam, Vice Chancelor Karakorum International University with the release of around 0.35 million rupee as University grant, the financial burden is about to end saying in time realse would enable us to work on pending research and development work besides general needs of the institution.

Hidden talent sparkles-a GB student secures first position in International essay competition
Bureau Report

ISLAMABAD, October 17: (Salim Javed) Sadia Mir, hailing from a Brusho family of Sultanabad (formerly known as Gujardas), Gilgit has been declared the winner of International Essay Competition conducted by an educational institution of United Sates.

Sadia Mir who won first prize in the international essay competion conducted by US acadmic council. Image source: Pamir Times

Sadia Mir is said to be a brilliant student of BSc, Part-1 at Margalla Hills Girls College, Islamabad won the price among 1900 internationals competitors.United States has offered her life time scholarship, opening her options of high career prospects.
Chief Minister, Speaker cum acting governor, Finance minister, education minister and other members Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly (GBLA) has congratulated her and her family for remarkable accomplishment saying an honor for the Gilgit-Baltistan region.

Crackdown for arrest on Amhari exlosive continue, six arrested
VoH Report

GILGIT, October 15: Gilgit city police have arrested six people as suspects and link with the plot to hit Chief minister yesterday evening. According to the police sources, police arrested suspects from locality having possible link with the culprits who left an explosive fitted into a pressure cooker along the way of Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan on Thuesday mourning. The explosive matter, as local bomb disposal unit says, was a C4 structured with ten kilogram explosives, a new kind ever used in such incidents.
Media sources confirmed that Chief Minister Syed Mehdi Shah was supposed to pay a visit to affectees of recent flood in Basin and outskirts. Following the plot, security and law enforcement agencies were kept red alert. Police and Norther Areas Force officials met Chief minister on Wednesday to chalk out strategic security plan for future.