Water supply scheme for martyred soldier’s village

Rs1 million project is the first such programme announced for the area

GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan government on Tuesday announced a water supply scheme for the native village of Havaldar Jumma Khan, the Northern Light Infantry soldier who was killed by Indian firing along the Line of Control last week.

The scheme, worth Rs1 million, was announced by the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Farman Ali.

Havaldar Jumma, a father of three children, was a resident of Faqir Kot, a small village in Astore valley of Gilgit-Baltistan. “Jumma Khan is our hero and this [water supply scheme] is a small gift for the people of his village,” Ali said.

The minister had visited the village on Tuesday and laid a wreath on Havaldar Jumma’s grave.



The scheme is the first such project announced for the village where the martyred soldier’s wife, children and the rest of the family still live.

“We want to tell the enemies [of Pakistan] that we are united and ready to offer sacrifices of all sorts,” the minister said.

Coincidentally, Ali also hails from the Astore valley.

Referring to the independence of Gilgit-Baltistan, the minister said natives of the region had forced the Dogras to flee G-B in 1947 and that they still had enough strength to “deal with people like Modi”.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 5^th, 2016.