ISLAMABAD: The Executive Com­mit­tee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Friday approved three development projects at an estimated cost of Rs340 billion with a major tilt towards Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Presided over by Minister for Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin, the meeting was attended by Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Finance Minister Taimur Khan Jhagra and federal secretaries.

Ecnec considered a total of three projects, including two worth Rs315.5bn for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. These included construction of Dir Motorway, sponsored by the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and to be executed by the Pakhtunkhwa Highway Authority (PHA) with an estimated cost of Rs38.991bn.

The project envisages construction of 29.377km-long, four-lane dual carriageway which starts from Chakdara and ends at Rabat, Dir district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The scope of the work includes construction of bridges, tunnels, underpasses and cross-road flyovers. The entire project is located in the Lower Dir region of KP.

The project will enhance road connectivity and promote tourism.

Two road schemes for KP, a university project for Islamabad get the go-ahead

Ecnec also approved a project sponsored by the KP government for Peshawar-D.I. Khan Motorway to be executed by the PHA. The total cost of the project is Rs276.529bn and envisages construction of 360km-long six-lane dual carriageway from Peshawar to Dera Ismail Khan. It will pass through Kohat, Hangu, Karak, Bannu, Lakki Marwat and Tank and terminate at Dera Ismail Khan.

The scope of the work includes construction of tunnels, underpasses, etc. The construction of the motorway will enhance trade and tourism and also generate employment opportunities during and after the construction of the road project in the area.

The improved road connectivity will increase economic prospects for the area people.

The provincial finance minister told the committee that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was developing motorways and expressways to connect tourist spots which would not only increase the number of tourists but also ultimately increase business and employment opportunities for the local population and contribute to socio-economic development of the area.

The committee also approved a Rs23.54bn project — Pak University of Engineering & Emerging Technologies (PUEET) — a research university in Islamabad, which will house various centres of excellence in the cutting-edge fields of science and technology and state-of-the-art technology park. The project will result in better quality of education, build industry-academia collaboration and train graduates in new technologies.

The project was approved in principle by Ecnec in May this year having a cost of Rs23.55bn with a directive that the Ministry of Planning and Development should rationalise its cost and come back for formal approval within three months. After completion of the deadline, the planning division reported a cost cutting of a few millions which was approved by Ecnec.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2021