LAHORE - Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak Saturday said CPEC would change the fate of KP and Gilgat-Baltistan.
Addressing a book-launching ceremony at Quaid-i-Azam Library, he said China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has also opened new regime of development in KP. Highlighting the PTI government’s achievements in the province, Khattak said they spent funds to provide basic facilities to the people of the province, rather than spending money on show-off projects like traditional politicians.
Around half of KP’s population, he claimed, was provided with health cards for free medical treatment. Introducing reforms and upgrading the education sector remained the top priority of the KP government during past five years, he claimed, but complained the media was not highlighting the development work of KP positively. He recalled he invited journalists from the Punjab to visit the province to independently evaluate the development work in KP. The one billion tree project could be taken as a test case for impartial reporting, he added.
Praising the book of Prof Dr Shafiq Jullandhry, “Beautiful Pakistan: Gilgat Baltistan”, the KP CM said the beautiful valleys of Gilgat-Baltistan were ignored in the past. However, the book of Dr Jullandhry has rightly highlighted this area, he affirmed.
The event was jointly organised by Maulana Zafar Ali Khan Trust and Punjab Public Libraries.
Punjab Public Libraries DG Dr Zaheer Ahmad Babar, speaking on this occasion, said use of libraries plays a pivotal role in bringing reforms in a society and Dr Jalandhry’s book is a good addition. “His journalism students are shining in the media industry everywhere in the country,” Dr Zaheer Ahmad Babar asserted.
Dr Mujahid Mansoori said Dr Julandhry’s book is a result of his rational observation of a sociologist during his stay in Korakoram International University as a media academician. He said Pakistan is a beautiful and great country.
PTI spokesman Fawad Chaudhary said out of the world’s eight top mountains, five are in Gilgat-Baltistan, which is a great distinction for the country. He said Gilgat-Baltistan has a great tourism industry and Dr Shafiq’s book takes the reader to these fascinating valleys. Javed Nawaz, Dr Noshina Saleem and Rauf Tahir also paid tributes to Dr Julandhry for his fascinating book.