PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi has accused the federal government of delaying the Swat Dam project by refusing to issue No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for visits by foreign engineers, despite the project being ready.
Addressing a ceremony held in connection with World Food Safety Day, the chief minister said that raising public awareness about safe food and promoting responsible behavior is a pressing need. He stated that the establishment of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety Authority has significantly improved the provision of healthy and safe food.
Afridi said the importance of the Food Department has increased because the province is not self-sufficient in wheat production. He added that planning is underway to achieve food self-sufficiency and that necessary instructions have been issued to the relevant departments.
He announced that the Food Department’s budget would be increased in the upcoming fiscal budget and that modern warehouses would be constructed. According to him, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will become self-sufficient in several sectors by 2030.
The chief minister alleged that the “fake government” in Punjab had stopped the supply of wheat to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said repeated letters had been sent but received no response. He further stated that the provincial government had allocated Rs3 billion for the CRBC project, while the federal government had not contributed a single rupee.
Afridi said the federal government was originally obligated to provide 80 percent funding for the CRBC project, which was later reduced to 65 percent, but ultimately no allocation was made in the budget.
He also said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had provided Rs4 billion in bridge financing for the Northern Bypass project. He added that the Peshawar Bus Terminal has been completed, but the National Highway Authority (NHA) has not issued an NOC for the route.
Criticising the federal government, Afridi reiterated that the Swat Dam project is ready, but the federation is not granting NOCs for visits by foreign engineers. He alleged that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is being subjected to discriminatory treatment and warned that such actions would increase divisions and resentment.
The chief minister further stated that under the Constitution, a province producing gas has the first right to use it. He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa produces more than 500 MMCFD of gas but consumes only 150 MMCFD. According to him, the federal government has effectively cut off the province’s gas supply, severely affecting the middle class.
Afridi maintained that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are paying the price for what he described as the federal government’s flawed policies.
