KHYBER: The Khyber district administration has announced a number of development schemes for the Bazaar-Zakhakhel area of Landi Kotal tehsil.

The Khyber district administration has revised the allocations under the Zakhakhel integrated development package from Rs3 billion to Rs4.52 billion, announcing The schemes are part of the Zakhakhel integrated development package, which has jacked up from earlier Rs3 billion to Rs4.52 billion, according to a statement issued from the Khyber House here.

It said that out of the total allocated funds, Rs5.4 million would be spent on irrigation schemes, Rs3.5 million on agriculture development, while Rs3.5 million and Rs2 million, respectively, would be spent on livestock and small and medium business ventures, mostly for local youth.

The statement said that Rs1.79 billion would be utilised for construction and expansion of new and existing roads while the local government representatives would get Rs5.5 million.

Similarly, Rs440 million would be spent on public health engineering schemes, while an additional Rs117 million were allocated for forests and mineral development alongside execution of various current schemes in agriculture, irrigation, local government, public health engineering and road expansion.

Bazaar-Zakhakhel is considered one of the backward areas of Khyber with the region witnessing fierce battles between Mangal Bagh-led proscribed Lashkar-i-Islam (LI) and a local armed group, Tawheedul Islam, from 2007 to 2012.

The region remained under the control of a so-called pro-government peace committee, which mostly consisted of the ‘remnants’ of Tawheedul Islam after the group aligned itself with the security forces when the LI was expelled from Bazaar-Zakhakhel.

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT: Over 80 students, including girls, completed a basic skills development course under the joint initiative of Frontier Corps (North) and Shahid Afridi Foundation.

The students got training in computer know-how, stitching, motorcycle repairs, electrician and welding.

The course was held at the Khyber Institution of Technical Training, Landi Kotal.

Inspector General Frontier Corps (North) Maj-Gen Anjum Riaz, who was the chief guest at the concluding ceremony, gave away certificates to the students.

With the completion of the first course, the institute also launched e-commerce and online business courses for the students.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2025