CM opens uplift projects in Lower Dir

TIMERGARA: Announcing various uplift projects for Lower Dir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Saturday claimed that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) didn’t make arrests in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members were not involved in corruption.

Addressing a gathering of party workers here, the chief minister said Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz and other opposition leaders were arrested for being involved in corruption.

Mahmood Khan blamed the previous governments for poor economic situation. He said every citizen of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would avail facility of free treatment within three months.

Members Provincial Assembly (MPAs) Malik Liaquat Khan, Malik Shafiullah Khan, Azam Khan, Humayun Khan, Dr Sumaira Shams, Members National Assembly (MNAs) Syed Mahboob Shah, Muhammad Bashir Khan, Deputy Commissioner Dir Lower Shaukat Ali Yousafzai, District Health Officer (DHO) and project director TMC Dr Shaukat Ali, District Police Office (DPO) Arif Shahbaz Wazir and a large number of party workers were present on the occasion.

“I am not the chief minister of Swat only but I am the chief minister of the whole Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including the newly merged districts,” Mahmood Khan said.

He added that his government successfully faced the challenge of merging tribal districts with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The chief minister dismissed the impression that the Chakdarra to Chitral Expressway as part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CEPEC) had been dropped. He said that the project would soon be inaugurated by the prime minister.

Work on the construction of Chakdarra bypass, Sanam dam and establishing industrial zone in Lower Dir and settlement of land in Dir would be initiated soon, he added.

The chief minister also refuted the propaganda by opposition parties regarding the transfer of beautification project to Swat and also announced its immediate initiation.

He said that the opposition parties left the province underdeveloped during their governments and indulged in corruption and deceived people with false slogans and empty promises.

The government was making efforts for industrialisation and development of the province which were visible and people were actually reaping the benefits of reforms undertaken by his government, he added.

Earlier, Mahmood Khan inaugurated government women polytechnic institute Khaima, new office of the Lower Dir deputy commissioner at Balambat and newly-completed building of Timergara Medical College (TMC) at Rani besides performing groundbreaking of Rescue 1122 office at Timergara.

The chief minister also administered oath to the newly-elected office-bearers of the Timergara Press Club and announced Rs5 million grant for the press club. He also announced the provision of the Sehat Insaf Cards for the journalists and assured that the government would establish a media colony for journalists in Lower Dir. Mahmood Khan that Goplam Irrigation scheme had been sent to PSDP for approval which is expected to benefit three constituencies of Lower Dir. \The Chief Minister also approved establishment of Category C hospital in Maidan, establishment of College, Tehsil Complex and beautification of the local market along with announcing the construction of bridge at Koto area.