PESHAWAR  -   Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has assured that his government was going all out to resolve the basic problems of the people of Peshawar.

The completion of BRT under the already defined timeline, and permanently resolving the electricity and gas related issues were at the top of his government agenda. He was talking to a 100-member grand Jirga of Khalil Mohmand Peshawar led by MPA Pir Fida at Chief Minister House Peshawar. Provincial Spokesperson Ajmal Wazir, elected representatives, VC Peshawar University and others attended.

The Chief Minister was informed about the hardships of the residents in suburb of Peshawar University. They demanded the opening of different gates of the university, the issues related to BRT, the power shut down and the low pressure of gas etc. They also demanded some problems related to the education and health sectors.

Presenting the broader picture of the province’s own receipts and its dependence on the federal transfers of resources, the Chief Minister said that this province generates 10 per cent of the resources and is dependent upon 90 per cent resources of the federal government adding that his government has taken measures to widen the fiscal space of the province in order to generate maximum resources for onward spending on the public welfare.

He said he was not oblivious to the gas related problems of Peshawar city adding that the relevant quarter was laying down the necessary infrastructure in order to increase the gas flow and we could consume the additional gas. He assured that the infrastructure development was going on and after the completion there would be no low pressure of gas etc which he added was the permanent solution to this problem.

Mahmood appreciated the jirga and the people of Peshawar for their cooperation in the BRT project adding that he was fully aware of the hardships the people underwent but for better facilities, the temporary nature of hardships is not a big price.

The completion of BRT which is the best and third generation projects would give one solution to all traffic congestion that will change the landscape of Peshawar and we have to collectively contribute in this regard. He also reminded the people of his personnel efforts which included clearing it from ECNEC and facilitating the physical and financial issues associated with BRT. He announced a college for Girls in the area and the government land would be acquired for the purpose.

He called upon the people to discourage Kunda culture and power theft adding that the federal Minister for Energy had recently in a joint press conference with him, assured maximum facilitation in order to bring down the power related hardships of the people. The federal government would provide every help already assured.  The Chief Minister assured to relax ban for the employment of Class-IV in different projects of Peshawar adding that he had already visited different hospitals and the rush and burden on the tertiary healthcare concentrated in Peshawar assuring to strengthen the secondary and primary healthcare centers in order to reduce the burden on these tertiary healthcare institutions in Peshawar.

Regarding the KTH and LRH related issues he assured to convene a separate meeting to resolve them as expeditiously as possible.

He asked the quarter concerned to sit together and find out a solution to the opening of gates of Peshawar University and other host of problems raised at the occasion.

He assured all out support to the resolution of their problems.