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Dubai Sheikh donates

Rs 50m for Cholistan

water supply scheme

MULTAN: The Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Hamadan Bin Raashid Al-Maktoum, has granted Rs 50 million for provision of potable water to the people living in Cholistan desert adjacent to Yazman Mandi, District Bahawalpur.

This was disclosed by the spokesman of the ruler, Ashraf Nawwabi, at the airport when the Deputy Ruler of Dubai arrived here along with his entourage by two special planes on Sunday.

Mohammad Tariq, provincial minister for housing and communications, deputy commissioner and other officials of the local administration received the guests.

The foreign dignitary, who is also the finance minister of United Arab Emirates (UAE), inspected a guard of honour presented by a smartly turned out police contingent. A small boy, Shehroz, clad in the traditional dress, presented a bouquet to the visiting dignitary.

Nawwabi said during the last one decade the royal family of Dubai has spent some Rs 1,000 million on the development of Cholistan, particularly Yazman and its adjacent localities.

He said that the visits of the royal family are meant to strengthen the bonds of affection and love between the two brotherly countries. Hunting was just a supplementary purpose, he added.

Nawwabi said the projects of interest to the royal family included water scheme, to cost Rs 50 million, a high school-cum-madrassa, 'Noor-ul-Madaaris", at Tibba Sher Badar, a slum area.

He said that Sheikh Hamadan provided funds for operation theatre at BV Hospital, construction of roads, digging of wells, sinking of tube-wells and setting up libraries.

The spokesman said the water scheme comprised reservoir tanks having a capacity of 50,000 gallons of potable water to be supplied to each house in the proposed area of Cholistan.

Sheikh Hamadan said that the visit would renew the brotherly ties already existing between the two neighbouring states and their peoples.

Later, the guest along with his entourage, left for Bahawalpur in their special C-130 plane.

The visiting dignitary, who has arrived on a private visit, is scheduled to stay for about two weeks in Bahawalpur and Yazman, including Cholistan areas lying in its proximity.ÑAPP