CM wants basic amenities ensured in housing schemes

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has directed the authorities of housing, local government, rural development, communication and works departments to avoid handing over residential schemes to the people without ensuring basic amenities like schools, hospitals, markets and mosques.

“PTI government believes in providing maximum relief to the masses including solving their residential problems, rather than hoodwinking them with mere lip-service,” he said and expressed the confidence that housing schemes initiated in their tenure would not only be completed but would have all required facilities.

The chief minister was chairing meeting about Aboha Housing Scheme in Barikot, Swat at Chief Minister’s House, said a handout.

The meeting was attended by advisor to chief minister on housing Dr Amjad Ali, MPA from Swat Azizullah Khan Gran, Additional Chief Secretary Shahzad Bangash, Secretary Housing Syed Waqarul Hasan, SMBR Zafar Iqbal, DG housing and other authorities of the housing department.

The meeting was told that this housing scheme was launched about seven years ago by the then provincial government, spreading over area of 3000 kanals.However, due to inclusion of disputed lands as well as exaggeration in fixing the estimates of the developmental charges, the scheme could not be put on ground.

Pervez Khattak directed authorities to develop Aboha housing scheme in private sector on the pattern of Bahria Town and equip it with all basic facilities before advertising it for public. He directed the authorities not to stop work on developmental projects including the residential schemes.