K-P CM irked by centre 'denying' security clearance to Chinese investors

Asks authorities to resolve the matter, directs completion of 17 industrial zones

PESHAWAR: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has lamented what he called obstruction in the provision of security clearance and NOCs (No Objection Certificate) to Chinese investors by the federal government.

He said this while chairing a meeting to review progress on MoUs under the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa-China Investment Plan concluded at the Beijing road show.

The chief minister asked authorities to approach the concerned quarters for immediate security clearance to Chinese investors coming to K-P, so that they can convert the MoUs into agreements. He said that he too, would personally talk to the federal government in this regard and hoped for a positive response.



“The development of K-P would directly lead to prosperity of FATA and the entire country,” he added.He underlined the need for ensuring adequate facilities of security, health, hygiene and other civic amenities under safe city and small city policies of the provincial government.

He directed to put on ground the proposed 17 industrial zones in the province and plan the inauguration of three mega zones; Rashakai, Hattar and Dera Ismail Khan under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) by next month.

Khattak also called for the completion of 225MW thermal power houses in each industrial zone so that electricity produced could be given to the industries in the three zones.

“All the three industrial zones would be linked through a railway cargo system.”

He said that the federal government’s Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) has approved the circular railway track connecting six districts starting from Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan, Charsadda, Swabi and Malakand and the laying down of rail track from Peshawar to DI Khan.



Khattak directed to start preliminary work on circular train costing Rs1.5 billion and rail cargo by December this year.  He further asked to settle the land acquisition issues of road and rail projects as early as possible.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 18^th, 2017.

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