PM airs concern over delay in K-P projects

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has expressed concern over delay in payments to the province and the federal government's backing for the Orange Line Metro Train project in Lahore.

Similarly, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has conveyed his dismay over delay in implementation of projects, especially related to security, in K-P.

The prime minister shared details of his meeting with K-P chief minister during a high-level sitting held recently. He said that on a query raised by the CM about federal funding for the Orange Line Metro Train project in Lahore, he clarified that the project had been financed entirely by the government of Punjab and the federal government only provided a sovereign guarantee for foreign loans obtained for the project, whereas the responsibility for loan repayment rests entirely on the provincial government.

Regarding delayed payments to the province, the PM revealed that he had immediately instructed the minister for planning, minister for finance and secretary finance to resolve the issue in consultation with the provincial government.

He added that he also conveyed his reservations to the CM about inordinate delay in completion of important projects in the province, especially those related to the provision of better security to the people, such as the Safe City project. "Any delay in completion of such projects is alarming, given the fact that Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has been receiving a much larger share from the divisible pool since 2010 under the seventh NFC (National Finance Commission) Award," the PM said.

The CM assured the premier that the project was near completion and would soon become operational. The prime minister welcomed the positive development, expressing confidence that funds at the disposal of K-P would be effectively utilised for the necessary upgrading of equipment of law enforcement agencies working in the province.

The PM said that his message to the chief minister had always been that irrespective of political affiliations, the federal government would always be willing to cooperate with the K-P administration for the betterment of people of the province and the larger welfare of the country. It was for the same purpose that he invited the CM for talks during his visit to Chitral in October 2025 for the groundbreaking ceremony of a Daanish school.

Terming the recent meeting in Islamabad with the K-P CM cordial, the prime minister said that he impressed upon the CM that any issues between the federation and the province could only be resolved through meaningful dialogue and for the sake of national unity, solidarity and defeating the scourge of terrorism in K-P, it was imperative for the federal and provincial governments to work collaboratively in support of each other. The premier observed that the brave people of K-P had suffered immensely in the war against terrorism and his government would always be willing to go the extra mile to ensure progress and welfare.