PESHAWAR, Sept 6: A veteran politician from Swabi has called upon the government to restore incentives for the Gadoon Industrial Estate. It may be pointed out that these incentives had been announced by the government in 1986, but were later withdrawn.

Speaking at a news conference here on Thursday, Ajoon Khan Jadoon said that the withdrawal of tax exemption and other privileges had severely affected the pace of industrialisation in the area.

He said four years ago NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani performed the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of a bridge, connecting Topi with Swabi. But, he regretted, the work on the project had not been started yet.

Mr Jadoon said the Utla road that connected 50 hilly villages of Gadoon and Amazai to Swabi was in bad shape. Rains had washed away the road between Gandaf and Beesak and left the people marooned in their villages, he added.