KHAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Tuesday said that sustainable development of tribal districts was the top priority of provincial government and all out efforts were being made for the purpose.

He was addressing a jirga during his visit to Bajaur to inaugurate several schemes under the National Agriculture Emergency Programme. Tribal elders, political activists, youth and students attended the jriga in a large number.

Provincial Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Mohibullah Khan, local lawmakers, provincial secretary of agriculture and livestock and officials were also present on the occasion.

The chief minister said that provincial government was giving special attention to the development of tribal districts as the region had been ignored in the past. He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan directed him to personally visit every tribal district once a month to step up the improvement process in the region.

Mahmood Khan launches backyard poultry initiative in Bajaur

He claimed that he had visited all the tribal districts at least once since he had assumed the charge of his post last year. He said that pace of development schemes in the tribal districts was very slow and any visible changes and improvement was not made in the region since it was merged with province last year.

However, the chief minister said that government conducted surveys and made planning for development of tribal districts in its first year. He said that government sped up its efforts to ensure provision of every basic and modern facility to the people of tribal districts.

He said that government launched scores of development schemes in various sectors in the tribal districts. He added that completion of schemes would not only improve the standard of life of people but would also end their sense of deprivation.

Mr Khan said that government had planned to build several new health and educational institutions in Bajaur to provide modern health and education facilities to people. He said that prime minister was very keen to reopen Pak-Afghan trade routes in the tribal districts and efforts were under way in that regard.

The chief minister said that government had also decided to construct a number of new colleges in the tribal districts. He added that those institutions would be constructed on the basis of need.

About the merger of the personnel of Khasadar and Levies forces in police, he said that all the 28,000 personnel of both the forces had already been merged in police. He said that work on Barang tunnel would be launched soon to connect Bajaur with Swat Expressway.

The chief minister launched the Prime Minister’s Backyard Poultry Initiative and a number of schemes related to agriculture in the district.

Earlier, the local lawmakers briefed the chief minister about the main issues and problems of the region.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2019