PRESS RELEASE N0: JPNEMPAK 09-025

Islamabad: 4th November, 2009

The Government of Japan has decided to grant financial support of US$ 90,262 (approx. Rs 7.23 million) under “the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects” to the “Grace Association Pakistan” known as GRACE, for the supply of safe drinking water to the residents of Skardu, Northern Areas, through the provision of water supply system in villages Astana Bala, Astana paeen, Gultri colony and Brolumo colony around four kilometers from Skardu city on the airport road.

The agreement for the project was signed on Wednesday, 4th November 2009, at the Japanese Ambassador’s residence, in Islamabad, between H.E. Mr. Chihiro Atsumi, the Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan and Mr. Wazir Shamshad Hussain, Chief Executive Officer of Grace Association Pakistan.

The grant will be utilized for providing clean drinking water to the residents as well as the refugees living in these four villages of this arid region. The purpose of this project is to supply safe drinking water to the residents of this area, who have been facing acute water shortage since long, due to the improper management of the water supply system and lack of financial resources. Previously, the residents of this area had to spend five to six hours to fetch the water from the existing source. This project would help reduce the hard labor of women and girls involved in bringing water from a long distance. The proposed water supply scheme will also be extended to a primary school established under Japanese grant assistance in 2008. It would improve the living and sanitary conditions of around 1,300 households in the villages. In addition to that, the time and money saved would be utilized to generate other economic activities leading to the prosperity of the people living in that area.

At the signing ceremony, the Japanese Ambassador stressed that water and sanitary sector is one of the priority areas in Japan’s Official Development Assistance. He also expressed his hope that this project would help improve the fundamental living standards of the people in Astana villages of Skardu. He also emphasized that the project would contribute to further strengthening of the friendly relations between Japan and Pakistan. (END)