Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak has said that construction of Swat Expressway will pave way for exploitation of tourism opportunities and promotion of industries in the area while planning for establishment of economic zones at Swat and Chakdara has been initiated as a part of Pak-China Economic Corridor.
This he said while talking to a delegation of the elected representatives of Malakand Division led by Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, Siraj ul Haq at CM House, here on Thursday morning. Provincial ministers, special assistants, elected representatives hailing from various political parties and districts Nazimeen were present on the occasion.
The delegates demanded the rehabilitation of the infrastructure of the division affected due to extremism, floods in 2010 and earthquakes. Similarly, the delegates stressed the need for efficient planning for utilisation of tourism opportunities, production of fruits and natural resources of the area.
The delegation also asked for integration of Malakand Division with the CPEC route through road networks.
The Chief Minister while stressing the need for consensus for achievement of collective objectives said that the provincial government had succeeded in signing agreement with the federal government for recovery of net hydel profit royalty of the province due to collaboration of various political parties of the province.
He informed the delegates that the federal government had promised to start work on western route and establishment of industrial parks in the province under CPEC project. He said that the provincial government had asked the federal government to include number of more projects in CPEC project.
The Chief Minister while underlining the need for workable planning said that plan for the protection of floods was being chalked out in the province with collaboration of the federal government. He said that the comprehensive plan was aimed to safeguard areas faced with the threat of flood for the next 15 years.He informed that Swat Expressway was constructed with financial assistance of Asian Development Bank while efforts were underway for acquisition of land for the project. He said that the highway would open venues for tourism and industrial development in the area.
The Chief Minister told the delegates that a number of hydel projects had been advertised for implementation with collaboration of private sector. He further said that project having the capacity of 2000 megawatt power were also ready to be advertised for investment.
The Chief Minister said that KPEZDMC had been established in the province to boost industrialisation while Rs 3 billion had also been allocated for promotion of industrial sector in KP. He informed that industrial act was also in final stages to regulate industrialization in the province.
The delegation demanded establishment of female university, engineering university and integration of Malakand division with CPEC route.
The Chief Minister assured the delegation to contact the federal government regarding their demands.