GHALLANAI (Mohmand Agency), March 5: NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah has vowed that the government will continue to provide funds for the development of Fata to ensure timely completion of public welfare projects.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of construction work on Fata highway linking Mohmand and Bajaur agencies, at Nahaqi Kandao here on Friday, he said uplift schemes would create opportunities of education and healthcare for tribesmen.

This 644km road, leading from Bajaur Agency to Wana in the South Waziristan Agency, will pass through all the seven tribal agencies and interlink the entire Fata. The project is estimated to cost over Rs300 million.

To ensure early completion of this mega project, the construction work has been initiated at three different points simultaneously.

In Bajaur Agency, the governor also inaugurated construction work on this mega project on Friday at Khazana Morr, about eight kilometres west of Khar.

On the occasion, the governor said that Rs9 billion were being spent on development schemes in Fata. They would bring about a pleasant change in the living standard of the people and result in more job opportunities.

With the creation of agency councils in Fata, he said, the people would not need funds. The councils would not only be independent to implement projects according to their requirement, but also enjoy power to give final approval to the annual development programme of the respective agency.