NOWSHERA: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has put an end to the culture of discrimination and exploitation.
He was speaking at a reception arranged in Manki Sharif on Wednesday. The function was hosted in his honour by Umar Ayaz Khan of Ghaznikhel. Abdali Khan and Sar Zameen Khan of Awami National Party announced quitting their party along with their family members and dozens of companions and joining the PTI. The entrants to the PTI put confidence in the leadership of Pervez Khattak and assured him of all-out support for the accomplishment of the mission for change.
The gathering was also addressed by Provincial Minister Mian Jamsheduddin, Member National Assembly Dr Imran Khattak and others. The chief minister in his address said that institutions had been made powerful and delivery system improved during his government. He said that through the rule of law the masses confidence in state institutions had been restored.
The chief minister said that in the past institutions were submissive to the will of influential that brought untold miseries to the man in the street. The people suffered and they had to implore the influential, the elite and the political figures even for achieving their genuine rights, he pointed out.
Pervez Khattak said the KP government had accepted the challenge of making the province self-sufficient to enable it to play an effective role as a unit in the federation. He said that his government had protected the interests of the province, adding that net hydel profit had been raised to Rs18 billion due to his government efforts.
The chief minister said the government repaid Rs18 billion loan which had been taken by the previous government from the federal government. “The federal government has agreed to pay Rs88 billion arrears to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he added.
The chief minister said his government played an important role in revival of the AGN Qazi Formula for the distribution of resources, adding that under the formula the net hydel profit could reach Rs80 billion. “The Chashma Lift Irrigation Canal project is the achievement of my government that would irrigate 286,000 acres of land in southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he said.
The chief minister said that his government played a role in protecting the interests of the province in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and secured 17 industrial zones for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Pervez Khattak said that memorandum of understandings (MoUs) for 82 projects had been signed with Chinese companies. He said the government had inked agreement with Frontier Works Organisationfor completing projects worth 11 billion dollars. These projects included housing scheme, cement factory, oil refinery and other sectors, he said.
The chief minister reminded the audience of his efforts for convincing the federal government to provide its surplus natural gas to the province for its new industrial obligations in the province.
He highlighted the set of Islamic laws introduced by his government, adding even the religo-political parties during their rule in the province did not do that kind of legislation in the province. The chief minister thanked the people of Nowshera for reposing confidence in him.