January 12, 2002	Saturday	Shawwal 27, 1422

PESHAWAR, Jan 11: The government of Japan has evinced interest in launching various development projects in the Frontier province and identified several projects to be completed with its grant.

In this connection a delegation of Japan held a meeting with NWFP governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain at the governor’s house in Peshawar on Friday.

Members of the delegation underscored the need for completion of remaining portion of ring road, expansion of Peshawar-Torkham road and construction of various bridges in Southern districts. They also expressed interest in the reconstruction of damaged infrastructure that has taken place due to the presence of Afghan refugees.

Members of the delegation briefed the governor about the projects with the help of maps and charts and identified the areas where they want to arrange grant.

The governor said that completion of the remaining part of ring road and expansion of Peshawar-Torkham was among the priorities of the government. Moreover, the government also intended to construct various bridges in southern districts.

Resources for these projects, he said, had also been collected and the provincial government had evolved several programmes in this respect.

The governor told the delegation that the Japan government should undertake some big projects instead of doing small ones so that more benefit could reach the people of the province.

He stressed the need for construction of Khushhal Gar Bridge parallel to the existing one as it is in very bad shape and added that with its construction the facility of a by-pass road would become possible and the traffic would improve.

The governor said that orientation of priorities was needed to be adopted for launching these projects.

Members of the delegation said that they wanted early progress in the matter.