Chitral a far-flung backward district - Era of progress ushering in KP, says Khattak

چترال بے شک ایک نظرانداز کیا ہوا ضلع ہے ، تاہم صوبائی حکومت ایسے علاقوں کو ترقی یافتہ علاقوں کے برابر لانے کے لئے ہر ممکن کوشش کررہی ہے۔،پرویز خٹک نے پی ٹی آئی کی ایم پی اے بی بی فوذیہ کی سربراہی میں ان سے ملاقت کرنے والے وفد سے گفتگو کے دوران یہ باتیں کہی۔ 

PESHAWAR - Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak has said that financial constraint is the major obstacle in speedy development of the province but it was never made an impediment in the way to go forward.

"Era of progress and prosperity is ushering in KP. We instead of taxing or burdening our people for resources will get our arrears and share of hydel net profit from centre for which KP Senior Minister Finance Sirajul Haq is doing serious efforts," he expressed these views while talking to 3-member delegation of PTI Chitral district led by MPA Bibi Fozia that called on him at the CM Secretariat Peshawar and apprised him of certain public problems besides demanding a package for the area. The delegation included Abdul Latif, President PTI Chitral district and PTI elite Rehmat Ghazi. He said that the present PTI-led coalition government believes in such a development that besides construction of roads, schools and colleges can also enhance job opportunities and poor can also prosper. "Our govt want uniform development of the province with judicious use of the developmental funds whereas no discrimination to be made with any part of the province," he added. However, he said that remote and backward areas to be given preference on need basis wherein transparent use of funds be ensured so that the public money do not go waste or transfer to the pockets of the individuals but purely spent on the welfare of the masses.

Pervez Khattak said that Chitral is indeed a far-flung backward district of the province while the provincial government was taking concrete steps to bring such parts at par with developed areas of the province and provide basic amenities to its people to ameliorate their lot accordingly. However, he said lack of resources greatly hinder in our way. He assured new developmental schemes would be included in the next ADP. About demand of establishment of a University in district Chitral, he said that we had to focus our attention on providing sufficient education facilities in the existing two campuses of universities in the area and in this regard he issued proper directives to the authorities concerned.

The chief minister on a demand said that it was a policy of the provincial government in health and education sectors to strengthen the existing set-ups and institutions by providing them all required facilities instead of merely constructing new buildings. He said that erecting structures and buildings without facilities always gave no benefits to the people except wastage of the public money. Hence he said that his government was taking solid steps to equip all the existing institutions with latest machineries and facilities while later attention would also be given to setting new buildings and institutions as per need basis. He said that provincial government was spending 80 per cent of its resources on the ongoing while rest of 20 per cent on the new schemes with the sole aim of continuity of the developmental process.

Pervez Khattak said that it was easy to rule and enjoy the government but difficult to deliver and come up to the expectations of masses after coming into power. He said that we instead of enjoying the luxuries of the government and hoodwinking the people by merely lip service, endeavouring to fulfil the needs and expectations of the poor and for this purpose we were working round the clock to deliver accordingly. He said that people would soon be benefited of the fruits of the measures of the government and they would see and feel pleasant changes in their surroundings. He asked the party office-bearers and assembly members to play dynamic role in selflessly serving the people of their areas. "They must personally monitor the developmental process and identify new schemes on need basis in their constituencies to yield tangible results in larger public interests, he remarked.

The chief minister on a demand directed the concerned authorities for improvement of Booni Mastuj Road. Members of the delegation thanked the CM for taking keen interest in solving problems of their area.

Published in The Nation 10 - 03 - 14