MINGORA, Feb 27: District Nazim Jamal Nasir has said that Saidu Sharif airport will be reopened very soon which will improve tourism in the region.

Speaking at the district council session here on Tuesday, Mr Nasir said that the Civil Aviation Authority was likely to reopen Saidu Sharif airport next month to facilitate foreign and domestic tourists.

He said that the airport was closed few years back due to financial problems which badly affected the tourism sector in the Malakand region.

He informed the council that the federal government had approved an amount of Rs5 billion for the construction of road from Landaki to Kalam and the National Highway Authority would start construction work of the road.

He said federal and provincial governments had allocated funds for the reconstruction of government buildings damaged by the October 2005 earthquake.

He said the building of the central prison was not fit for the accommodation of prisoners and the building would be reconstructed with an estimated amount of Rs150 million.

About construction of a Cadet College in Mingora, he said that the district government had acquired land for the project.