CHITRAL: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif arrived here Wednesday to lay the foundation stones of different welfare and uplift projects besides inspecting the gigantic Lowari Tunnel project being constructed with a financial assistance of Federal Government.
Upon arrival, he was received by Advisor to the Prime Minister, Engr Amir Muqam and other elders of the areas besides Pakistan Muslim League (PMLN) leaders of Chitral in large number.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said he had great affinity for the people of Chitral and had been frequently visiting the area to oversee development projects.
“For me, Chitral is no less important than Lahore, Karachi or any other city and I want this area to be developed at par with rest of country,” he said.
As the gathering responded enthusiastically to his speech, the Prime Minister expressed satisfaction that majority in Chitral could now comprehend national language Urdu, recalling their little understanding when he earlier visited the area during his tenure of government in 90s.
Nawaz Sharif said he believed in political harmony and mentioned the presence of Shahzada Iftikharuddin, the Member National Assembly from Chitral belonging to former president General Pervez Musharraf’s All Pakistan Muslim League and District Nazim Chitral Maghfirat Shah of Jamaat-e-Islami. “It doesn’t matter to which party these people belong to. I will be supportive to them for the development of Chitral,” he said.
The Prime Minister mentioned that his government had released Rs 27 billion for the early completion of Lowari Tunnel, which was facing delay due to neglect of previous governments.
He termed the project’s delay “utterly ruthless” towards the people of Chitral and said his government was acting swiftly for redressed. He said Rs 17 billion were being spent on construction of Chitral-Lowari-Chakdara road, adding that it would be similar to a motorway. Nawaz Sharif said the announcement of a university in Chitral, made for the first time in 70 years, would help mainstreaming of local youth in national development process.
He mentioned construction of a 108 mega watt Golan Gol Hydropower project in Chitral, which would benefit atleast 100 towns.
He directed the Chairman National Highway Authority to complete feasibilities of three road projects including Shandur-Mastuj road via Chitral, and Garam Chashma and Bamborait roads from Chitral.
The Prime Minister announced a grant of Rs 200 million for Chitral’s district government, to be spent on the uplift of streets, Bazars and sanitation.
Adviser to PM Engineer Amir Muqam in his speech said the massive gathering had demonstrated that the people of Chitral were aware of the government’s sincerity of continuing with the agenda of development.
MNA Chitral Shahzada Iftikharuddin said Nawaz Sharif had brought the “real change” of development in the country, contrary to the politicians who only believed in politics of sit-ins.
He said with ample funds released by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the long-awaited Lowar Tunnel project would be completed next year. District Nazim Chitral Maghfirat Shah mentioned that development project worth Rs 60 billion were being carried out in Chitral, which would improve the living standard of locals.
President PML-N Chitral chapter Saeed Ahmed Khan expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on inauguration of development projects in Chitral and said the previous government neglected the area.
He said Nawaz Sharif promoted politics of values and decency in the country.
Minister for Information Technology Anousha Rehman and former Governor Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Sardar Mehtab Abbasi were present. The 25 kilometers long Boni Road would be completed with the help of federal government annual developmental program. This would help provide better communication facilities besides easy excess from different markets to Chitral City.
The PM is also expected to address a big public gathering in Chitral. —APP
