• CM Afridi commits higher budget allocations to build modern wheat storages
• Deplores Centre’s discrimination in development projects

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Saturday expressed confidence that by 2030, KP will achieve self-sufficiency in several key sectors, and the relevant departments have already been issued the necessary directives in this regard.

He stated that the government had been undertaking comprehensive planning to achieve food self-sufficiency and announced that the upcoming provincial budget would include increased allocations for the food department.

The chief minister stated that the enhanced allocations would also include the construction of modern, technology-driven wheat storage facilities to improve food security and reduce post-harvest losses.

He said this while addressing a ceremony held at the chief minister’s house in connection with World Food Safety Day, organised by the KP Food Safety and Halal Food Authority, according to an official statement.

Mr Afridi emphasised that raising public awareness regarding safe food practices and promoting responsible consumption behaviours were critical requirements of the present time, adding that the establishment of the KP Food Safety and Halal Food Authority had significantly improved the availability of safe and healthy food for the public.

Discrimination in development

Referring to intergovernmental issues affecting the province, Mr Afridi stated that the Punjab government had suspended the supply of wheat to KP and that repeated communications from the provincial government had not met any positive response.

He said that governments formed without the backing of the electorate were more focused on preserving their positions than on addressing the public’s needs and concerns. He also highlighted delays in key development projects due to the federal government’s indifference.

He noted that the provincial government had allocated Rs3 billion for the Chashma Right Bank Canal (CRBC) Project, while no corresponding federal allocation had been made, adding that the federal government had originally committed to financing 80 per cent of the project cost and subsequently reduced its commitment to 65pc, yet no funds had ultimately been allocated in the budget.

“The timely completion of the CRBC project is critical not only for achieving agricultural growth and food self-sufficiency but also for strengthening long-term food security by bringing vast tracts of cultivable land under irrigation and enhancing the province’s capacity to produce safe and reliable food supplies,” the statement quoted Mr Afridi as saying.

He informed participants that the provincial government had provided bridge financing of Rs4bn for the Northern Bypass Project, and added that the Peshawar Bus Terminal had been completed but remained non-operational because the National Highway Authority had not issued the required NOC.

Likewise, he said that a dam project in Swat was ready for inauguration; however, the federal authorities had yet to issue the necessary NOC for the visit of foreign engineers associated with the project.

Expressing concern over the discriminatory treatment towards KP, the chief minister warned that such policies deepen public grievances and reiterated that, under the Constitution, provinces producing natural gas had the first right to its utilisation.

He noted that while KP produced more than 500 mmcfd of natural gas, its consumption remained limited to approximately 150 mmcfd. Despite producing more than the provincial requirements, the federal government had restricted gas supply to KP, disproportionately affecting middle-income households across the province.

The chief minister stated that KP residents continued to bear the consequences of flawed federal policies despite the immense sacrifices the province has made over the years.

Special assistant to the chief minister for food Dr Muhammad Israr, secretary food, and the director general of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority also addressed the ceremony.

Published in Dawn, June 7th, 2026