US Ambassador hails Pak-IMF agreement, witnesses MoU signing ceremony for digitalization of land record in NMDs
PESHAWAR (APP): United Ambassador to Pakistan, Donald Blome here Wednesday hailed Pakistan and IMF agreement and termed it a very positive development.
He was addressing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signing ceremony among Board of Revenue Govt of Khyber Pakthunkhwa, Provincial Ombudsperson Office and USAID for cooperation in digitalization of land record in the newly merged districts (NMD).
The US Ambassador said that Pakistan was confronted to various economic challenges and hoped that the IMF agreement would help Pakistan to overcome these challenges soon.
Besides others, the MoU signing ceremony and handing over of IT, non IT equipment for digitalization of land record system in NMD was witnessed by the US Ambassador, Donald Blome, KP Secretary Board of Revenue Department, Khalid Khan, Provincial Ombudsperson, Rakhshanda Naz and others here at local hotel.
The US Ambassador said that his government was the largest investor in Pakistan. He said that inheritance rights to women in properties would help them to financially support their families. He said that Pakistan has generously accepted and supported the Afghan refugees for several decades.
During the ceremony, the USAID has provided $5 million worth of equipment to the KP Board of Revenue that would help augmenting its capacity for accurate land measurements.
MoU was aimed to support Goverment of Khyber Pakthunkhwa to strengthen transparency and accuracy in the land records and registration system, promoting economic growth and investment in NMDs.
United States also announced a new partnership to empower the ombudsperson secretariat by providing training to ombudsperson staff on women rights and land settlement regulations.
The initiative was aimed to raise awareness about ombudsperson crucial role in safeguarding women rights including property inheritance.
Khalid Khan, Secretary Board of Revenue Department said digitalizing land records system was underway in the seven subdivisions of NMDs that would give inheritance property rights to women and address land settlements issues among tribesmen.
He said land digitalization in merged areas would help increasing efficiency, accuracy and convenience. Appreciating the support of US, he said land digitalization in all 49 subdivisions in merged areas would be completed in three to four years.
Intiallay the project was started with an estimated cost of Rs1200 million underwhich 90percent manual work on property and settlement issues in merged areas were completed.
Provincial Ombudsperson, Rakhshanda Naz said the project would economically empower women in tribal districts after digitalization of land records and would long disputes among tribesmen.
