PESHAWAR, March 15: Federal Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources Mohammad Naseer Mengal has said that a combined team of the federal and provincial governments would undertake surveys to explore natural resources of the Frontier province.

According to an official handout issued here on Tuesnday, the federal minister termed the environment in the NWFP conducive for domestic and foreign investment.

The team, comprising members of the federal and provincial governments, will undertake surveys throughout the province and explore the possibility of deposits so that foreign investors can be persuaded to invest in various sectors, said the federal minister in a meeting with the NWFP chief minister.

The NWFP chief minister said that the frontier province offers tremendous investment potential in hydel power and mineral sectors. It provides a safe passage to Afghanistan linking the Central Asian Republics.

He welcomed the constituting of a survey team comprising officials of the provincial government and federal government for the exploration and exploitation of natural resources of the frontier province for the benefit of the people and province.

He said the provincial government would lay down the road infrastructure and provide other facilitiest and added that in hydel power, the government had already planned the First Lift Canal, 20 small dams and Tank Zam.

The chief minister said that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had formally issued directives in this regard.

He said northern districts offer various sites for investment, while the southern districts have other advantages. “These sectors need investment that will bring prosperity to the people and lead the province towards sustained economic growth,” he added.