DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Without mentioning the name of PTI chief Imran Khan, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that those who claimed to build a ‘new Pakistan’ could not even make a ‘new Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’.

“Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is slipping from your (Imran) hands and your party (PTI) will no more be able to rule the province in 2018,” the prime minister said while addressing a public meeting at the Kolachi Sports Stadium here on Tuesday after inaugurating a project for provision of gas to D.I. Khan and Tank.

“The people of Dera Ismail Khan should ask where new Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is being built. You have even lost the recent by-election in Peshawar and your party’s (PTI) candidate came third in the polls. Youth is not a thing to play with, but a precious asset,” Mr Sharif said.

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, KP Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, federal Minister for Housing and Constructions Akram Khan Durrani, Leader of Opposition in KP Assembly Maulana Lutfur Rehman and Maulana Attaur Rehman were also present on the occasion.

The prime minister said his opponents were destined to hold sit-ins and would continue to do so, but his government would continue welfare and development works. He claimed that loadshedding would end by 2018 and people would enjoy cheap electricity.

The PM announced Rs500 million for development of D.I. Khan and Rs870m for the gas project.

He directed the authorities concerned to complete the Rs120 billion Chashma Right Bank Canal project within three months.

The prime minister said that 65 per cent cost of the project would be borne by the federal government and 35pc by the KP government. The project will help irrigate 300,000 acres of land.

Mr Sharif also announced the setting up of an agriculture university in D.I. Khan.

He said international flights would be started from the D.I. Khan airport. “I have directed the PIA authorities to make it possible for local people to travel to foreign countries through this airport.”

The prime minister announced Rs80m for carrying out a feasibility study of Tank Zam dam and construction of a protective dike. He directed the officials concerned to start work on the project from next year.

He said Lahore, Rawalpindi and Multan had their own metro busses and asked why such project was not started in Peshawar.

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2016