PESHAWAR - Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has formally inaugurated 10km Rahat Kot- Sakhra road in Tehsil Matta of district Swat which will be completed at an estimated cost of Rs190 million and will benefit around about 95,000 local population.

On the second day of visit to his home district, the chief minister also laid the foundation stone of 13km Barawai Irrigation Scheme which will be completed at an estimated cost of Rs150 million and will irrigate 551 acres of barren land. Kalakot, Bagh Dheri, and Asharai villages and adjacent areas will benefit from the irrigation scheme.

While addressing the inaugural ceremonies, the chief minister stated that a new era of development will usher in near future which will be inclusive of all aspects including infrastructure, communication, agriculture and tourism.

“Planned interventions are being carried out to industrialise and make Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province a hub for national and international transit and tourism,” Khan added.

According to details, the villages to benefit from Rahat Kot-Sakhara road include Matta, Sambat, Badarh, Kuza Drush khela, Bara Drush Khela, Asharai, Bagh Dheri, Rhata Kot, Shakara, Darmai, Kalakot, Nowkhara, Garai, Azad Banda, Kohistani Banda, Bar Lal Koh, Kuz Lal Koh, Bat Koh, Fazal Baig and the newly developed tourist area Gabeen Jabba.

Mahmood inaugurates 10km Rahat Kot-Sakhra road in Swat

The ceremonies were also attended by MPA Mian Sharafat Ali, Commissioner Malakand Riaz Mehsud, DIG Malakand Division Saeed Khan Wazir, Secretary Irrigation Dawood Khan and others.

The chief minister stated that the present government is working to end unemployment by introducing tourism as an industry in the province which has a huge revenue generating potential.

He stated that the previous government had initiated Bagh Dheri irrigation scheme which will irrigate 5,341 acres of barren land. The Bagh Dheri irrigation scheme along with Barorai irrigation scheme will help in establishing fruit gardens, growing vegetables and general harvests thereby not only generating huge revenue for the province but also employing local population.

Khan further said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has taken difficult decisions due to which Pakistan has escaped from the quagmire of insecurity and economic crisis adding that merit and rule of law will be upheld at every cost in order to establish a role model system of governance for our future generations.

MARTYRS DAY
OBSERVED IN KHYBER

Like elsewhere in the country, Martyrs Day was observed in Khyber district on Sunday.

In this connection an impressive gathering was organised here in Jamrud in which Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Peshawar Kareem Khan participated as the chief guest beside District Police Officer Muhammad Hussain, Station House Officer Gula Jan Afridi and others.

Speaking on the occasion, Kareem Khan said that the nation would always be indebted to those police and Khasadar officials who laid their lives for the sake of their motherland.

“We salute to their sacrifices and will always remember them,” he said.

He maintained that initiatives had been taken to solve problems of the ex-Khasadar or presently police forces in the tribal belt and scheme was in process to provide facilities enjoyed by the police force in other parts of the country. 

The police official assured that families of the martyrs would never be left in miseries and all possible assistance would be granted to them including provision of Shuhada package and free education facility to the martyrs’ children in police public school.

He further said that after merging of the tribal belt into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, various training sessions were provided to the district police officials to improve their capabilities.

Earlier, CCPO Peshawar laid floral wreath at the monument of the martyrs and offered Fateha for the departed souls.

Meanwhile, those who sacrificed their lives for the country and its people will remain alive in our hearts. They sacrificed their today for our tomorrow. The families of the martyrs are honourable and most respectable for us. Chairman Public Accounts Committee Syed Yawar Abbas Bokhari said this while addressing a function held at Police Lines Attock in connection with Martyrs Day. Air Commodore Jahanzeb Khan, SSP Ali Akbar, ASP Waqas Khan, Qazi Ahmad Akbar, PRO Police Tahir Iqbal and Taimoor Khan and families of the martyrs were also present on the occasion.

Bokhari said that it is praise worthy that every year this function is arranged to remember the martyrs and their sacrifices. He said it is our national obligation to pay homage to police martyrs and honour their families. While paying homage to the police martyrs, PAC Punjab chief said that the government was making all out efforts to give maximum facilities to the families of the martyrs.

He said that the families of the martyrs will be given facilities as given to the martyrs of defence forces as police also played a vital role in curbing terrorism and maintaining law and order in the country.

He said government is considering issuing health cards to all police personnel and quota for their children will be allocated in private schools and for this purpose negotiations are under way. Mother of DSP Shoukat Shah Shaheed and others also spoke on the occasion and paid rich tributes to the martyrs. Later, gifts were given to the families of the police martyrs.

Earlier, floral wreaths were laid at the memorial.