SWABI: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak said here on Monday that PTI leadership fulfilled all the pledges made with the people during the 2013 elections.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of a portion of Swat Expressway at Capt Karnal Sher Khan Interchange on Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway, he said that provincial government introduced result-oriented reforms and succeeded to make the institutions stronger. He said that PTI would seek vote in the upcoming general elections on the basis of its performance and spotless rule.

Traffic would ply on Swat Expressway from Capt Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed Interchange to Katlang Interchange. The distance between the two interchange is 50 kilometres. The remaining 30 kilometres portion from Katlang to Chakdara would be completed during the next government. Its total cost is Rs38 billion.

“The credit for constructing Swat motorway goes to PTI government,” said the chief minister. He said that Swat motorway would not only boost trade and development activities in the region but people would get benefits from it in various other fields as well.

Khattak says Swat motorway to usher in era of development in Malakand region

Mr Khattak said that the project would usher an era of prosperity and development in the entire Malakand region and district Nowshera, Swabi and Mardan would also reap its benefits. He said that provincial government paid Rs4 billion to the landowners for land acquiring and Rs11 billion to Frontier Works Organisation (FWO). The motorway would remain in control of FWO for two and half decades, he said.

“Had the rival political parties, who also ruled the province, initiated such mega project during the last 65 years,” the chief minister questioned. He alleged that they were involved in corruption.

About the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project in Peshawar, he said that the leaders of rival parties said that its design was changed but they should keep in mind that it was work of Asian Development Bank and the provincial government was only monitoring the activity.

Mr Khattak said that popularity of PTI worried the rivals. “Let them use all the negative tactics and strategies but they should remember that they cannot block the victory march of PTI. The rival parties cannot avoid an ignominious defeat,” he added.

The chief minister said that the province was ruled by ANP, PPP and MMA but instead of working for the welfare of people those parties concentrated on accumulating wealth. He said that opposition parties could not defeat PTI. “Wait for elections and see the results,” he added.

Mr Khattak said that education and health landscape in the province was changed and it was recognised by world leading agencies and various observers. He said that institutions were politicised when PTI came into power. “We brought changes in the best interest of the people, who voted PTI to power,” he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Asad Qaisar, the speaker of provincial assembly, said that opening of the main portion of Swat motorway would boost tourism, trade, transport and revenue in the militancy-hit region.

Earlier, Dr Mohammad Afzal, the director general of FWO, briefed the chief minister about the Swat motorway.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2018