NOWSHERA: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has said that the next fiscal year will see a massive increase in development activities across the province.

A comprehensive mechanism was evolved to ensure timely completion of the development schemes, he said while speaking at a public meeting at Azakhel here on Saturday.

Mr Khattak said heavy fines would be imposed on the contractors not meeting the deadlines, and asked the people to keep a watch on the pace of development schemes and report to the concerned district administration or complaint cell if any irregularity was committed.

The chief minister said that the complete change took time to be take place, especially in a province where rulers themselves patronised loot and plunder of the public exchequer. “The PTI government has not only made comprehensive legislation for uprooting corruption, malpractices and nepotism, but has also taken measures to ensure supremacy of law, merit and justice,” he added.

Mr Khattak said that the divide between the children of rich and poor had been narrowed down by introducing unified education system.

“Now the standard of public sector schools will improve to such an extent that and even rich people will prefer to admit their children to government schools,” he added.

Pervez Khattak said that problems of teachers absenting and deficiency of staff in schools were being resolved on emergency basis, while Tameer-i-School programme had been launched to provide missing facilities in the schools, including construction of additional classrooms, boundary walls, furniture, ceiling fans, water and toilets.

The chief minister said that parent teacher councils would directly receive donations under the scheme to fulfill the missing requirements of the schools to provide congenial atmosphere to children.

He said that PTI-led coalition government had laid solid foundation to eradicate corruption and other social evils from society and ensure good governance. “Establishment of Ehtesab Commission and other important legislation would greatly contribute towards this end,” he said.

Mr Khattak said the provincial police force had been turned into a strong institution by ridding it of political interference. “Our police force besides controlling crime and maintaining law and order, is quite capable of combating terrorism effectively,” he added.

Provincial minister Mian Jamsheduddin Kakakhel, MNAs Dr Imran Khattak, Siraj Mohammad Khan, former MPA Liaqat Khattak, Ishaq Khattak and other PTI leaders also spoke on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd , 2014