CHARSADDA: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan said here on Wednesday that government fulfilled another promise made with tribal people by extending Rescue 1122 services to newly merged districts as 1,100 cadets trained for the purpose belonged to merged areas.

He said that government would extend all institutions and services to district and tehsil level so that people could be facilitated at their doorsteps.

The chief minister said that there were only two rescue stations in Peshawar and Mardan prior formation of PTI government but now province had 90 rescue stations across the province.

He added that rescue stations in far-flung areas of the province would also be made functional soon.

He was addressing the passing out ceremony of rescue cadets at Abdul Wali Khan Sports Complex here on Wednesday.

Provincial Law Minister Sultan Khan, Special Assistant to Chief Minister Arif Ahmadzai, MPA Fazal Shakoor Khan, Rescue 1122 Director General Dr Khateer Ahmad and other relevant officials were also present on the occasion.

The chief minister felicitated the newly-passed out cadets on their successful completion of training and said that merger of erstwhile Fata into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was an uphill task but with keen interest of Prime Minister Imran Khan and cooperation of stakeholders it became possible in a short span of time.

He said that 28,000 Levies and Khasadar personnel were absorbed in regular police and added that elections were conducted in tribal districts for seats of provincial assembly.

The chief minister said that separate land settlement law was enacted whereas mineral Act was approved for tribal districts.

He said that Sehat Sahulat Programme was already extended to tribal districts whereas the entire population of the settled districts would benefit from the health insurance scheme by January of next year.

Mr Khan termed the extension of rescue services to tribal districts a remarkable achievement of government.

Appreciating the performance of Rescue 1122, he said that rescue cadets served on frontline against any calamity.

The chief minister said that government delivered and made significant achievements during first two years while it would continue to deliver for next three years. He also handed over prizes to position holder cadets.

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2020