PESHAWAR - The Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pervez Khattak, has said that foreign investors have shown keen interest in investment in the province due to attractive packages announced by his government, including 5 percent concession in interest and 25 percent rebate in the import of machinery.
“Apart from that an independent and autonomous EZDMC company has already been established to facilitate the investors under one window operation,” he added.
He said this while talking to the coalition partners here on Sunday. Senior Minister for Local Government Inayatullah Khan and Senior Minister for Irrigation Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao, other provincial ministers and MPAs were also present on the occasion. Khattak said that after the 18th Amendment, the provincial governments had been authorised to promote mutual trade with other countries. He deplored what he called the step-motherly attitude of the federal government towards smaller provinces and focusing only on Punjab.
Khattak said that after a long struggle, he had succeeded in convincing the federal government to pay Rs100 billion to the province. “Out of the said amount, Rs20 billion have been spent on debt servicing, while the remaining sum would be paid to the province in three equal installments,” he said, and added, “So far the province has received only one installment.”
“Moreover, the KP government has actively taken up Chashma Lift Canal project and got it approved from the CCI,” he said.
“The federal and provincial governments would bear expenses at the ratio of 65 percent and 35 percent, respectively,” he disclosed.
With regard to Ehtesab Commission, Khattak said, “Our government believes in across the board accountability with top to bottom approach, as meaningful accountability starts from the top and automatically trickles down to the grass-roots level.”
“That’s why, I and my cabinet members have presented ourselves to the Ehtesab Commission for accountability first,” he reminded.
Answering a question, he said that Ex-DG Ehtesab Commission had resigned from his position due to certain differences with the commissioners.
“My government has never interfered in the affairs of Ehtesab Commission,” he said categorically.
Talking about mega developmental schemes, he said that Hayatabad Flyover was completed in the shortest possible time at a reasonable cost.
“Similarly work on the construction of Rs40 billion Swat Motorway is in progress,” the CM said, and added, “Similarly, work on Kohat bypass road and Haripur bypass road is also underway.”
Giving more details, he said work on the construction of bridges, widening of roads in the provincial metropolis had also been undertaken while rapid bus transit project, circular railway projects would start by the end of this year. He further added that various developmental packages had been announced for three zones of the province that included train, road infrastructure, hydroelectric city, housing, irrigation, oil refinery and cement industry units. The chief minister said there was no scarcity of funds; however, foreign investors would be approached to support mega projects.
“Tourism is flourishing due to improvement in the law & order situation in the province,” Khattak concluded.