Indus Highway Being Part Of CPEC May Herald Prosperity To KP's Southern Districts: Salim Saifullah Khan

(@rukhshanmir)

Indus Highway being part of CPEC may herald prosperity to KP's southern districts: Salim Saifullah Khan

LAKKI MARWAT, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th Jan, 2017 ) : Former Federal minister Salim Saifullah Khan has urged the federal government that the Indus Highway from Peshawar to Dera Ismail Khan may be included into China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) for ensuring socio-economic development of the southern district of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Talking to elders in meetings here Tuesday the former minister regretted that the southern districts had been constantly ignored by each government, which had caused sense of deprivation of people of the belt.

Thus, he suggested the federal government to include the southern districts of KP into the CPEC project by declaring Indus Highway as part of it, providing an opportunity to the entire stretch to get maximum benefit from the development initiatives of the billions of Dollars scheme.

He said with construction of the route, people of the area would have access to modern facilities of life, in addition to having vast opportunities to get jobs to earn livelihood in a respectable manner.

He recalled the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had already announced to repair and construct the Indus Higway during his visit to Bannu, so he said solid measures should be made to materialize the important announcement, which could turnaround socio-economic conditions of the southern districts.

Dispelling the impression that delay in inauguration of the Kurram Tangi dam would affect work on the mega project, saying work was steadily in progress and renowned contractors were at work on Phase-I of the project.

However, he urged the government to take immediate steps for initiating work on phase-II of the project as well, which would bring green revolution to the neglected part of the southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in terms of socio-economic development.

He reiterated that his family would continue to work for the development of the Lakki Marwat and its issues would be highlighted at all forums, he added. He said among other districts of the KP, Lakki Marwat was facing poverty and unemployment despite the fact youth of the area were gifted with excellent talent, therefore, he added, there was a needed to create job opportunities for them to earn livelihood and contribute towards the country's socio-economic development process.