SWABI: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is spending Rs700 million on improving roads and other infrastructure in Gadoon Amazai Industrial Estate (GAIE) with a view to restore sagging confidence of the industrialists, Dawn has learnt.

Sources told Dawn that members of Gadoon Industrial Association led by its president Mohammad Zahid Shah had started a campaign to press the government to rebuild the dilapidated roads. In this connection, the industrialists met with Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, who promised to meet their demands.

The sources said the industrialists told the chief minister if the problems facing the Gadoon Estate were resolved it would lure more industrialists to the estate, which would, in turn, boost the weak industrial sector of KP and create jobs.

The sources said that reconstruction of the main road from Gadoon Estate Chowk in Topi city to the industrial zone, all link roads, and improvement of the drainage and water supply systems had been included in the Rs700 million package. They added that work on a portion of the Topi-industrial zone road had already been completed from Gadoon Estate Chowk to Gandaf Afghan refugee camp.

The sources said the contractors had been strictly directed to meet the deadlines and ensure quality of work.

When contacted, Gadoon Industrial Association’s president Mohammad Zahid Shah said the Gadoon entrepreneurs were thankful to the CM for announcing funds for improving the road and other infrastructure in the estate. “We have worked here for last several years, and don’t want to leave the estate as we have invested heavily here,” he said.

It is to be recalled here that the industrialists’ problems began after the withdrawal of incentives in May 1991 by the first government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

The location disadvantage is another problem for the industrialists because bringing in raw materials and sending the products to different parts of the country and abroad is much expensive.

PLANTATION DRIVE BEGINS: Jan Mohammad, district education officer, kicked off a tree plantation drive in public sector schools on Wednesday. He planted a sapling in the lawns of historic government high school No 1.

Speaking at the ceremony, he said it was responsibility of teachers to educate the students about the importance tree plantation.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2017