K-P threatens protest outside National Assembly

CM Mahmood says PDM had come to power to abolish corruption cases against its leaders

PESHAWAR:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has said that the sole aim of the federal government is to abolish corruption cases against its leaders and serve alien interests, adding that in order to succeed in their nefarious intentions they have jeopardized the credibility of accountability institutions.

Addressing media persons and a public gathering during his visit to district Swat and Malakand on Friday, the chief minister warned of a protest outside the National Assembly for the rights of the K-P province. He said that the federal government owes Rs189 billion in arrears to the province.

“We will not come back until the due funds of the province are paid, he thundered, adding that the federal government wants to sabotage the ongoing development process in K-P by these tactics, which is no doubt a non-democratic and heinous action. He maintained that since the regime change, law and order situation in the country has deteriorated.

The chief minister inaugurated a sub-campus of the University of Swat at Dargai along with performing the ground breaking of seven development projects in Swat and Malakand which would be completed at an estimated cost of Rs11 billion.

He performed the ground breaking of 23-km Mankyal-Bada Sarai road which would be rehabilitated at an estimated cost of Rs5.70 billion.

The project also includes the construction of four bridges and two rest areas at different sites.

The chief minister also laid the foundation stone of 2.5-km Chaprial Bypass Road and 10-km Baryam to Wanai Road. Both the roads would be rehabilitated at an estimated cost of Rs1.16 billion. Similarly, the formal ground breaking of 57-km Shomozai-Kabal-Kanju-Matta-Bagh Dheri road was performed.

Later on the chief minister inaugurated a University Campus at Dargai, district Malakand. He also laid the foundation stone for upgrading the Government Technical Vocational Centre Dargai to the status of Government Polytechnic Institute and the establishment of Rescue Services 1122 Station at Dargai.

Talking to media persons in Swat, Khan made it clear that they will oppose levy of taxes in Malakand division, adding that the newly merged tribal districts and Malakand division should be declared tax-free zone for the next 10 years.

He said that at present, people of these areas are unable to afford the burden of taxes.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17^th, 2022.