Centre denying funds to tribal districts: CM

Mahmood Khan says steps afoot to make K-P financially self-reliant

PESHAWAR:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has said that his government has established a model of sustainable development in the province with the aim to make K-P financially self-sustainable and enable it to contribute significantly to the national exchequer.

In a statement issued from the Chief Minister Secretariat, Khan noted that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) believes in the empowerment of institutions instead of depending on personalities, adding that institutional empowerment is the only way to ensure sustainable development and the establishment of a welfare state.

Due to long term planning, K-P province has been set on the track of development which will make the province a role model for national development, he added.

The chief minister reiterated that the provincial government has worked tirelessly for the promotion of tourism as an industry which has made the province a tourist destination not only at national but international level.

In order to exploit the natural resources available in the province, various initiatives have been undertaken.

Provision of cheap electricity has made K-P an attractive spot for national and international investors seeking establishment of small and large industrial units.

Read Senate panel for waiving loans of flood-hit farmers

The chief minister maintained that despite various constraints and challenges, the provincial government has successfully completed the integration of erstwhile FATA into K-P which was a daunting task.

However, the indifferent attitude of the current federal government has raised serious concerns over its intention regarding development of these areas, he maintained.

Non-provision of development funds has fueled apprehensions of continued exploitation of the tribal belt among the tribal people, he said. The chief minister observed that his government had also invested significantly on preservation of moral, cultural and Islamic values, adding that these initiatives will strengthen our national identity among the international community.

The introduction of Islamic teaching by the translation of the Holy Quran in schools and provision of honorarium to prayer leaders in mosques and religious leaders of minorities, deserve special mention. This, he said, enabled their financial independence.

Touching upon the initiatives taken in education and health sectors, the CM said that deficiencies of staff and other resources in government schools and hospitals have been addressed due to which service delivery has improved significantly.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 29^th, 2022.