K-P CM orders supply of gas to Kohat division

Assures locals that gas royalties due for Kohat have been embedded in annual development programme


Our Correspondent November 05, 2018
CM Mahmood Khan chairing a meeting. PHOTO: PTI

PESHAWAR: In a bid to address complaints of locals, the provincial chief minister on Sunday directed removal of all hurdles in the provision of gas to three districts of the Kohat division.

The directives were issued by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan while presiding over a meeting in the Chief Minister’s Secretariat in Peshawar.

The meeting was briefed about gas being supplied to Karak, Hangu and Kohat and the problems faced in the supply of gas to certain areas of these districts.  The meeting reviewed the problems faced in different development schemes in Gurguri, Tal and Anar Chinar.

Mahmood acknowledged that gas supply and paying royalties was a genuine problem of the Kohat division which the incumbent government wished to settle on a permanent basis.

He admitted that the extension of gas supply to the people of Kohat division was their legitimate right and would be ensured.

Mahmood expressed his apprehension over delays in schemes, noting that it would only cause the cost to escalate. Hence he directed to operationalize gas wells to meet the needs of the province.

“Despite challenges [which we face], we are determined to resolve these problems,” he said, adding that he will approach the federal government to get K-P’s due share of royalties.

Work on supply schemes should continue regardless, he added.

The chief minister directed the authorities concerned to remove all hurdles in the provision of gas and resolution of other allied problems in Kohat, Karak and Hangu districts of Kohat division.

He further assured that the share of Kohat division in gas royalties had been embedded in the current annual development programme unveiled in last month’s mini-budget. The elected representatives assured all-out support for the completion and settling of all issues related to these schemes.

The meeting was also attended by the K-P Finance Minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra, MNA Shahid Ahmad, Advisor to CM on Education Ziaullah Bangah, Advisor to CM on Energy Hamayatullah Khan, Secretaries and other relevant officers including Kohat Commissioner, Kohat RPO, Sui Northern Gas Pipeline (SNGPL) general manager, and the Karak deputy commissioner.

Rashakai EZ

CM Mahmood has also agreed to sign an agreement for public-private partnership (PPP) between the K-P Economic Zone and Management Company and other relevant firms.

This was decided during a meeting on public-private partnership for the Rashakai Economic Zone project. Mahmood, who is also the chairman of the provincial public-private partnership committee, presided over the meeting.

Acting Additional Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah gave a briefing on the Rashakai Economic Zone, the agreement for joint ventures and key features of the agreements, preparedness level and proceedings of meetings about the PPP unit.

Mahmood directed to ensure working on the policies of the government, follow the rules and law in light of recommendations from the public-private partnership unit.

He added that the Rashakai Economic Zone is a priority project included in the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The meeting was told that the unit has already put forward a set of recommendations a few days ago for the economic zone which Prime Minister Imran Khan had taken up with the Chinese government during his meeting with the Chinese leadership in Beijing.

The CM noted that due to its importance, it was necessary to develop the economic zone on a priority basis. To attract foreign investment, Mahmood said that they had taken a number of incentives for investors.

The basic aim is to promote investment and industrialisation in the province.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 5th, 2018.

 

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