The NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani in a meeting with Meer Muhammad Naseer Mengal, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources here at Frontier's House, Peshawar on Tuesday agreed to conduct a detailed survey to explore the natural resources of the Frontier province. The team to conduct a detailed survey would comprise members of federal and provincial governments who would undertake surveys throughout the province and would explore the possibility of deposits so that foreign investors could be persuaded to invest in various sectors.
The chief minister said that Frontier province offers tremendous investment potential in hydle power, mineral sectors. It provides a safe passage to Afghanistan linking the Central Asian Republics. He welcomed the constitution of a survey team comprising officials of provincial government and federal government for the exploration and exploitation of natural resources of Frontier province for the benefit of people and province.
He said that we should have a detailed study providing maximum information where the potential investors could be persuaded to invest. The provincial government would lay down road infrastructure and provide other allied facilities. However, he said that in hydle power, the frontier government had already planned First Lift Canal, 20 small dams and Tank Zam. For these projects, the Prime Minister of Pakistan had formally issued directives.
The chief minister said that the northern districts offer various sites in various sectors for investment while the southern districts have different advantages. These sectors need investment that would bring prosperity to the people and lead the province towards sustained economic growth, he added.
The chief minister said that Frontier province had an edge over other provinces in respect of law and order situation adding that law and order situation in Frontier province was better than the rest of the country. Therefore, Frontier offers a naturally conducive investment friendly environment and now it is up to the investors to grab this opportunity that would bring them returns beyond their expectations.
Durrani said there had been a few incidents of bank dacoities that were busted by the law enforcing agencies. The provincial government had been encouraging police to perform to the public expectations. He said that the people themselves were co-operating with the government in nabbing criminals that drastically reduced the crime graph in the province. He said that his government was committed to protect the lives and property of the people and it was the constant struggle of his government that the peoples confidence in the law enforcing agencies were restored.
Meer Muhammad Naseer Mengal, Federal Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources assured that the combined team of the federal and provincial governments would undertake necessary survey to explore the natural resources of Frontier province. He termed the environment in Frontier province as conducive for the domestic and foreign investment. He also appreciated the people of Frontier province for their support to control crimes.