Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Updates

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KP CM seeks feasibility study as power production from waste planned​

Bureau Report
September 14, 2022

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Tuesday set a one-month deadline for the relevant authorities to conduct a feasibility study for the establishment of a waste-to-energy plant.

“The proposed bio-fuel plant will not only help the province achieve energy self-sufficiency but will control environmental pollution as well,” the chief minister told a cabinet meeting here.

The meeting was also attended by the chief secretary, additional chief secretary, senior member of the Board of Revenue, and administrative secretaries of government departments.

According to spokesman for the government Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif, who later addressed a presser, the chief minister also ordered amendments to the relevant laws on the acquisition of land for universities and said no more than 100 kanals of land should be procured for a university to protect agricultural lands.

Cabinet okays climate change policy with focus on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions

The cabinet also approved the KP Climate Change Policy and Action Plan, 2022, with a focuses on the reduction of the vulnerability of natural and human systems as well as lessening greenhouse gas emissions through technological or nature-based solutions.

“The new climate change policy is in consonance with the objectives of the Revised National Climate Change Policy 2021 and will address as many as nine agroecological zones of the province, including tribal districts,” the spokesman said.

He said the policy’s successful implementation would open new avenues to attract international climate financing in adaptation and mitigation sectors, allowing the province to achieve sustainable development and create resilience against natural disasters securing the province’s fragile economy in confronting future environmental challenges.

Mr Saif quoted the chief minister as saying Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the first province to devise own climate change policy after the 18th Constitutional Amendment.

The cabinet reviewed some of its decisions made in the June 13, 2022, special budget meeting and approved reduction of the Ad hoc Allowance, 2022, from 16 per cent to 15 per cent to be granted to all provincial government employees on running basic pay “with no immediate pay-as-you-go deduction towards the Defined Contribution Pension Programme.”

The spokesman also said the decision regarding calculation of pension emoluments on the basis of the last three years average basic pay with effect from July 1, 2022, was held in abeyance.

He said the cabinet approved the extension of the Water and Sanitation Services Company Bannu’s jurisdiction to 11 village councils and five neighbourhood councils falling within the ambit of the local assistant director (local government) to benefit 89,596 residents.

Mr Saif said the cabinet also approved lease agreement between the local government development and the culture department for leasing out 100 kanals of land on the Mardan Bypass Road to the latter for establishing a cultural complex in Mardan.

He said the cabinet also approved the inclusion of patwar halqas of Sulatanr and Jarogo valleys in the jurisdiction of the Upper Swat Development Authority to enable the authority to carry out its functions regarding promotion of eco-tourism and environment-friendly development effectively.

The spokesman said approval was also accorded to the upgradation of four employees of the defunct Fata Development Corporation, including Mohammad Suleman Khan, Mohammad Rafiq, Sanaullah and Fazal Rabi, as well as the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Private Schools Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Act, 2022.

The cabinet approved the posting of Zakaullah Khattak to the vacant post of the managing director of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Urban Mobility Authority and the regularisation of 21 officers of the Special Police Force against vacancies in various districts.

Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2022

 

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M - 15, Hazara

 

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Chitral Economic Zone ongoing works and section 4 status of Zone
Will CREATE 1600, DIRECT & 6400 indirect jobs. making way to the international market through Afghanistan CentralAsia.

Chitral airport & one of the proposed routes for CPEC would bring prosperity to Chitral.

 

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The Frontier Post

The CEO of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Zones Development & Management Company (KP-EZDMC), has told the media that the setting up of 9 new economic zones in the province within a short time span of two years has turned the dream of industrialization into a reality. He said that currently, five more economic zones including Daraban SEZ, Buner Marble City, Salt & Gypsum City Karak, Mansehra EZ, and Katlang EZ along with one Special Economic Zone (SEZ) are in the pipeline.

The Chief Executive of the company claimed that these initiatives will bring an industrial investment of Rs.338 billion in existing and newly launched economic zones in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. While these projects will help increase exports, reduce imports, and ultimately strengthen the economy of the province in the long run.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Zones Development & Management Company (KP-EZDMC) is a state-owned business management company that is working to facilitate entrepreneurs, businessmen, and industrialists to establish their industries and promote their businesses in the government-established economic zones. The company offers unprecedented incentives to businessmen including allotment of plots in the Economic Zones, exemption of all taxes on imports of machinery along with a full waiver of all taxes on income from that industrial unit for the next ten fiscal years with other benefits including facilitation in getting a loan from banks and getting registration/ documentation through one window operation in a short time.

In fact, distributing government land to the industrialists and pushing them to establish industrial units is not such a huge task because Pakistani businessmen are used to getting industrial plots, issuing loans from the banks, and later abjuring those loans on the plea of business loss. While several bureaucrats have decorated their careers through flashy schemes but still most of the plots in our industrial zones are vacant or the owners had abandoned their projects before completion.

The nation extends massive incentives to businessmen so the industry provides jobs to the public, increase exports and generate valuable reserve to support the national economy. If our industry could not realize this national dream then all those tall claims are useless. Hence, the true validity of the KP-EZDMC’s endeavors would be evident when those SEZs will operate to their full potential.

 

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Detail Design Review Stage of Gabral Kalam Hydropower Project (88MW).

The project is located at right bank of Gabral River Near Kalam, Swat.
Currently, the project detail design, Tender documents, and other preparatory works are in the final stage.
After finalization, the construction works will begin soon.

• Client PEDO
• Consultant SMEC & TEMELSU
• Funded by World Bank
• Construction will be start in 2023.

 

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First women’s varsity okayed for Mansehra​

Dawn
October 11, 2022

MANSEHRA: Special assistant to the prime minister Sardar Shahjehan Yusuf on Monday said the federal government had approved the first women’s university for Mansehra district along with a long-delayed water scheme.

Mr Yusuf told reporters after addressing a lawyers’ gathering on the district bar’s premises here that an appropriate building had been selected for the women’s university, which would begin classes in the next academic session.

He said the prime minister would soon inaugurate the multibillion rupees ‘gravity flow water supply scheme’ for which the Saudi and Pakistani governments had already finalised modalities.

He said the visa protector office’s for Hazara division would be inaugurated in Abbottabad shortly.

VACANCIES: The Darband residents have demanded of the government to fill vacancies in the tehsil’s only rural health centre.

“Many seats of doctors, pharmacists and medical technicians have long been lying vacant in the RHC, so patients are referred to health centres in other parts of the district,” trader Rozimad Shah told reporters in Darband on Monday.

He said dengue and malaria patients visited the centre in large numbers but returned without treatment due to staff shortage. Mr Shah demanded the immediate provision of medicines and other required goods to the RHC. He warned that the residents would take to the streets of the demands weren’t met.
Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2022

 

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Commissioner Peshawar has ordered to conduct dope test of students in schools, colleges and universities across the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to sources privy to the matter, the staffers from the health and other concerned departments will visit the educational institutes and conduct dope test on students.

“The process will begin from September and anyone who test positive for it will be shifted to rehabilitation centres,” they said.

Gangs selling drugs to students have been busted previously, raising alarm bells among the authorities to take stern action against the peddlers.

In a similar move to keep in check use of drugs among students, the Punjab government decided to bar students using drugs and addictive to smoking from getting college admissions in intermediate part one.

It emerged that those students who are addictive of drugs and smoking will not be given admissions in first-year studies in colleges in a bid to discourage usage of narcotics among the young generation..

 

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Swat Motorway ....

 

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Jamrud Bypass Road, District Khyber ...

 

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World Bank to fund Two power projects​

$450m loan will be provided for Madyan, Gabral projects

Our Correspondent
October 28, 2022

PESHAWAR: The World Bank (WB) will fund two hydropower projects of 245 megawatts in Swat district next year, the completion of which will bring an annual income of more than Rs13 billion to the province.

The WB will lend money to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government.

In this regard, an important meeting was held under the chairmanship of Secretary Energy and Power Nisar Ahmad Khan, with the project directors of WB regarding progress on both the projects. The meeting was also attended by Special Secretary Energy Tashfeen Haider, Chief Executive PEDO Engineer Naeem Khan, Chief Engineer PEDO Shah Hussain.

While giving a briefing to the energy secretary, it was revealed that the WB will fund the construction of two hydropower projects in Swat district next year.

It is part of the development of K-P energy sector and includes the 157 MW Madyan Hydropower Project and 88 MW Gabral Kalam Hydropower Project.

In this regard, a $450 million agreement has been signed between the WB and the provincial government.

These projects will be completed by 2027, which will generate an annual income of more than Rs13 billion.

The process of appointing an international consultant for the projects has been completed, who has started work on the work plan and future strategy of the project and the practical work on the projects under the planning will be started from this year.

In the meeting, Nisar Ahmad Khan appreciated the steps taken by the WB for the provision of financial support in the energy sector and the development of the energy sector in the province and expressed the hope that foreign investment will come to the province from the above mentioned projects, which will help the province’s development and the provincial economy will be stabalised.

 

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Chitral, KPK..
Hotel in Chitral Bejaan designed by Ali Arshad Associates. The resort sits atop a hill overlooking the confluence of two rivers, allowing opportunity for expansive views of the river on the north and south sides.

 

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KP launches E-stamp portal to curb fraud

Peshawar: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister (CM) Mehmood Khan on Wednesday (October 19) launched the province’s first E-stamp paper portal to deal with bogus land record-related issues, news sources reported.

Speaking at the launch ceremony of the E-stamp portal, CM Mehmood said that it would help resolve property disputes, and people will also be able to verify them online to prevent fraud and forgery. As per the sources, the new system will work on the same pattern as launched in Punjab and Sindh, with features that will make verifying and downloading stamp papers easy. Users will just need a working internet connection to use the E-stamp paper portal.

Similarly, to acquire high-value non-judicial or judicial stamp papers, the user will only need to provide details about the reason for the purchase of the stamp paper, their name, the name of the seller, the person from whom the stamp papers will be purchased, and their CNIC numbers. The entire procedure would take around 15 minutes. Each stamp paper will be allocated a unique bar code for enhanced protection and online verification.

It is important to mention that similar systems are working in Punjab and Sindh with KP being the latest addition to the provinces to adopt this measure.

 

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The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has approved a 500 million rupee program to integrate drone technology into contemporary law enforcement.

On Wednesday, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, who was in charge of a discussion about the use of drone technology in policing, agriculture, and mining, gave his approval to the project.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Moazzam Jah Ansari, the Additional Secretary, and other administrative secretaries were present at the meeting along with the Chief Secretary, Dr. Shahzad Bangash.

The CM instructed the concerned authorities to ensure that the required parameters are met within 15 days. He also informed the officials at the meeting that the project will first be implemented in the police departments and for the operation of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority before it is extended to other sectors, such as agriculture and mining. It was also revealed that the drone technology will initially be used in the divisional headquarters.

 

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Construction work 88km Swat Motorway Phase 2 started.

Four lanes extendable to 6 lanes.
Nine interchanges Chakdara, Shamozai, Barikot, Mingora, Kanju, Malam Jabba-University of Swat, Sher Palam, Matta Khawazakhela, Madin-Fatehpur.
Four rest areas, eight bridges will be constructed...

 

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Exploratory drilling for further geotechnical investigation of Dam abutment of Balakot Hydropower Project is in Progress. Moreover, the construction of access road within the construction site and accommodation camps for manpower are in progress.

It is the biggest ever project of hydropower generation under the KP government and important development in the energy sector. 300MW power project would be completed with an estimated cost of Rs85.00 billion in a period of six years with the financial assistance of the Asian Development Bank.