Urban keep their family short as compared to rural: Shahbaz

ISLAMABAD: Federal Welfare Minister Chaudhry Shahbaz Hussain has said that Government specially concentrating in rural areas of the country to control population, as people living in urban areas keep their family short as compared to people living in rural areas.

The Minister further said, as many as 25,000 women and men would be trained in this current year to control population and special receptions would be given to them.

Population house would be completed in March 2007 and all the offices would be shifted in population house, he said while addressing a press conference here in population house on Thursday.

He said that the basement of population house would be completed in December and it is expected that the whole building would be completed in March 2007.

The Minister said that population house are being constructed according to semis zone code and it would be the first building in which separate facilities would be provided to special persons. The reason to construct population house is to assemble all offices at one place, he added.

Answer to a query, Federal Minister for Welfare Chaudhry Shahbaz Hussain said that various plans are adapted with collaboration of private sector to aware masses regarding family planning.

An International conference about superior methods to control world population would be held on November 20 and 21, the Minister maintained.

"Our focus is rural areas of the country because the size of family of those people living in urban areas are very short as compared to masses of rural areas", he noted.

Responding to another question, the Minister said round about 13 thousand Ulemas and scholars had been trained adding that they would deliver speeches regarding family planning in mosques after Esha prayer while we are giving facilities to lady health workers and other staff.

He said he has no differences with Farkhanda Gul Chairperson of Welfare Standing Committee while it is very pivotal for Chairpersons to understand issue.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has restored board of NETPOW comprised on 12 members and its meeting would soon be held, he added.

He said that the future of those Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) working to control population would also be decided in NETPOW board meeting.