MANSEHRA: Speaker of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Babar Saleem Swati on Saturday announced that work on the Rs18.5 billion water scheme would be inaugurated soon to address the water crisis in the region.

“This megagravity flow water supplyproject, to be completed in the next three years with the financial support from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the KP government, will provide clean drinking water to over 200,000 people daily,” Mr Swati told reporters.

The PA speaker said public health engineering minister Yar Khan, along with a technical team, would visit the project’s site in Kaghan Valley next week clearing the way for the inaugural ceremony.

“The inauguration later this month will be a dream come true for me, as I have consistently struggled for the approval and execution of this project as an MPA first in the last government and now as the speaker of the KP Assembly,” he said.

PA speaker says relevant minister and technical team will visit projects site next week

Mr Swati praised the PTI governments in both the province and the Centre for securing Saudi financial support for the project and said the Saudi government had approved a soft loan for the project.

“Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and minister Yar Khan removed hurdles to this project, work on which will begin shortly to meet the longstanding demand of Mansehra residents,” he said.

The PA speaker said Saudi Arabia would contribute $41 million, while the provincial government would offer the rest of $44.25 million.

“This $85.25 million scheme will resolve the chronic shortage of potable water in Mansehra town and its surrounding areas where water table has declined significantly,” he said.

Mr Swati said the Saudi Development Fund had released the soft loan for 25 years, extendable by another five.

He expressed hope that the scheme would be completed during the tenure of the current PTI government.

HELD: The Federal Investigation Agency’s Composite Circle on Saturday arrested a currency smuggler and seized a large amount of national and foreign currencies here on Sunday.

“We have arrested a currency smuggler for being involved in the illegal business of hawala and hundi and currency exchange,” SHO at the FIA’s Abbottabad region Zia ul Islam told reporters.

He said the FIA’s Composite Circle received a tip-off that local and foreign currency notes were being smuggled to Battagram via the Hazara Expressway’s Badra Interchange in Mansehra.

A team led by Mr Islam, including SI Shujahat Ali Khan, ASI Ahsan Altaf, HC Amir Nazeer, and FC Abdul Wajid, intercepted a car and recovered Rs1.8 million Pakistani currency notes, 1,100 Saudi Riyals, a list of hawala and hundi transactions, a register, and a mobile phone.

The accused, Naseebul Haq from Kannie area in Battagram, was taken into custody.

“We also seized the vehicle used in smuggling,” he said.

Mr Islamsaid an FIR had been registered against the accused under the relevant provisions of the law.

Meanwhile, a myna bird suffered serious injuries to one of its feet and wings after getting entangled in the string of an abandoned kite in Ghazikot Township here on Saturday.

“This is the fifth such incident where we rescued a bird trapped in kite strings. After applying ointment to its wounds, we released it back into the air,” Rescue 1122 district emergency officer Ibrar Ali told reporters.

Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2025