PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan Sunday said the provincial government has established a model of sustainable development in the province to make it financially self-sustainable and enable it to contribute to the national exchequer.
In a statement issued here from the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, Mahmood Khan stated that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has worked tirelessly for promotion of tourism as an industry which has made the province a tourist destination not only at national but also at international level.
In order to exploit the natural resources available in the province, various initiatives have been undertaken in which the wheeling model deserves special attention. Provision of cheap electricity has made Khyber Pakhtunkhwa an attractive spot for national and international investors seeking establishment of small and large industrial units.
The chief minister maintained that despite various constraints and challenges, the provincial government has successfully completed the integration of erstwhile FATA into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province which was a daunting task. He added that a number of initiatives have been undertaken in newly merged districts under a well-planned strategy with the sole purpose of addressing their longstanding deprivations.
He clarified that the incumbent government has also invested significantly on preservation of our moral, cultural and Islamic values adding that these initiatives will strengthen our national identity among the international community.
The introduction of Islamic teaching by translation of the Holy Quran in schools and provision of honorarium to Aima Masajid and religious leaders of minorities, deserve special mentioning here which has ensured their financial independence.
Regarding initiatives taken in education and health sectors, the Chief Minister said that deficiencies of staff and other resources in government schools and hospitals has been addressed due to which services delivery has improved significantly.
Some initiatives in these sectors include recruitment of new doctors and paramedical staff, extension of Sehat card scheme, revamping and upgrading health care facilities across the province, establishment of new medical colleges, recruitment of thousands of new teachers, launching second shift in selected schools, launching education card, provision of scholarships to students, establishment and up-gradation of schools and colleges, establishment of Pak-Austria Fachhochschule institute of Applied Sciences, establishment of Shangla University and many more.
