Sharif vows to build new Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is being received by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mehtab Abbasi on his arrival at the Governor House in Peshawar on Thursday. - Online

Islamabad - Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday promised infrastructure and developmental projects in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK).

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In an oblique reference to the 'Naya Pakistan' slogan touted by Pakistan Tehkreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, Sharif said he wanted to see a 'Naya Khyber Pakhtunkhwa'.

Speaking at a workers' convention in Peshawar, he said the PTI-led government in KPK had been given every opportunity to solve the problems faced by the province, but it had failed.

“We are laying the foundations for a new Pakistan. We did it before, we are doing it today, and in the future you will see the government will not just make a new Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but the best Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”

He said no new motorway had been built in Pakistan after the completion of the Peshawar-Islamabad-Lahore motorway, and said that the government has now planned to extend the motorway to Karachi in an effort to make various parts of the country accessible by road and bring the provinces closer together.

He also said that Hazara motorway is not far from completion, and the day that a Peshawar-Kabul motorway is built is not far either.

Speaking about the Lowari tunnel, Sharif said that those who had pushed for the construction of the tunnel had been unable to complete it as yet, and went on to say that his government would complete the construction of the tunnel within the next two years.

He said his government will build hospitals, schools and universities in KPK. Anticipating an extension of the laptop scheme, he said that within the next three to four years, children would be eligible for thousands of more laptops.

Addressing the matter of terrorism, he proclaimed, “Terrorists are running, their backbone has been broken”, and “there will no terrorism be any more in Pakistan.”

Later addressing the PML-N parliamentarians in Peshawar the prime minister said Operation Zarb-e-Azb has broken the back of terrorists and targeted operation in Karachi is also achieving positive results.

He said the government will focus on other issues being faced by the nation after the elimination of terrorism. He said the Afghanistan government is also cooperating with Pakistan in efforts to counter terrorism.

The prime minister said the national economy is being revived and international organisations including Moody's, IMF and Bloomberg have appreciated the economic achievements of the government. He said, “We will achieve our set targets to overcome power crisis in the country and job opportunities will be created for people.”

Sharif directed PML-N Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter president to select honest candidates for contesting the local government elections in the province.

news@khaleejtimes.com

(With inputs from Online)