PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Wednesday said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was moving forward with Uraan Pakistan as his government was committed to working for the development of the country.
“Despite political differences, we are determined to achieve Pakistan’s economic development, and these differences will not stop our government from working for the stability and economic progress of Pakistan,” he said.
He was speaking at the provincial consultative workshop on the National Economic Transformation Plan 29-2025 (Uraan Pakistan) at the Chief Minister’s House.
The chief minister was the chief guest at the workshop, which was attended by Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister Amir Maqam, provincial cabinet members, parliamentarians and senior officials from both provincial and federal governments.
The Uraan Pakistan programme focuses on five key sectors for the country’s sustainable economic development – exports, equity, E-Pakistan, energy & infrastructure and environment & climate change. The chief minister stressed that the establishment of law and order was most essential, as it formed the foundation of development. He said the provincial government was working towards sustainable development through fiscal discipline, infrastructure development, energy efficiency, and social equality, with special focus on investing in sectors that have the potential for sustainable growth.
He stated that the government’s vision for economic development is completely aligned with Uraan Pakistan. Gandapur highlighted developments in several sectors and reaffirmed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa fully supports the economic development agenda of Uraan Pakistan and called on the federal government to take practical steps to grant the province its constitutional rights. He stated that since 2018, out of the Rs700 billion allocated by the federal government for AIP projects, only Rs215.3 billion has been allocated, of which only Rs132.1 billion has been released so far. In the current financial year, Rs42.3 billion was allocated for AIP, but only Rs6.35 billion has been released. Similarly, for the annual development programme for merged districts, Rs27 billion was allocated, but only Rs9.41 billion has been released to-date.
He also made it clear that the Chashma Right Bank Canal project, which is crucial for the province’s food security, has neither received appropriate funding nor has the construction of the connecting canals been carried out.