Land use programme to expand across KP: officials

ABBOTTABAD: The Land Use, Planning, and Building Control Programme, which was initially launched by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in six districts, is likely to expand to the entire province by the end of this year.

This was stated by Imran Zahoor, the project director of Khyber Pass Economic Corridor (KPEC) while speaking at the concluding session of a health workshop in Nathiagali on Friday.Male and female heads and officials of civic bodies, district administrations, and chairmen of tehsil councils from Charsadda, Mardan, and Nowshera districts attended the concluding session of the two-day event, said a press release.

The workshop was jointly organised by the World Bank, Provincial Land Use Plan (PLUP) Project, Urban Policy & Planning Unit, Planning and Development Department, and tehsil administrations.

Zahoor said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the first province in the country to enact the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Land Use and Building Control Act 2021. He said the legislation aims to ensure the proper utilisation of residential, agricultural, orchard, industrial, housing, and lands of other characteristics for sustainable growth.

Initially launched in Peshawar, Charsadda, Mardan, Nowshera, Abbottabad, and Swabi, the initiative seeks to prevent the wastage of agricultural and other lands and promote sustainable growth while meeting international development standards.

Zahoor added that the Khyber Pass Economic Corridor is one of the flagship initiatives under the Land Use, Planning, and Building Control programme, with plans to extend its reach to the Central Asian States.

Mohammad Taib from the planning department mentioned that workshops are being conducted across the province to train officials in land use planning.Shahana Sikandar, the tehsil municipal officer of Jehangira in Nowshera, said that the initiative is seen as beneficial in driving the province towards prosperity and development.

Tehsil Mayor of Shabqadar, Hamza Asif, commended the knowledge and know-how shared about the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Land Use and Building Control Act 2021, highlighting the importance of its implementation for achieving the desired results.