Daily Times

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-led provincial coalition government is launching its first mega development project of Swat Motorway after coming in to power in the province three and a half years.

Swat Motorway, 81-kilometer long Motorway would be constructed by Frontier Works Organization (FWO) with the estimated cost of Rs 41 billion within the stipulated time of 18 months.

“Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) will be the first province, which is establishing 81-kilometer long Motorway in Swat by Frontier Works Organization (FWO), the foundation stone of the project will be laid today (Thursday). The project would be completed at total estimated cost of Rs.41 billion”, said Advisor to KP Chief Minister for Information, Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani while briefing the media at press club.

Flanked by Special Assistant to Chief Minister on C&W, Akbar Ayub and Mohibullah, he said the political opponents had always blamed the PTI led provincial government for its failure to launch any mega development project in KP. Provincial Government had prioritized the education and health, under its change manifesto, he added.

“As many as 2.1 million children were lacked proper furniture, while 15,000 additional rooms are required in government-run schools to fulfill the accommodation issues”, Ghani said, adding more than 40,000 teachers would be recruited to overcome with deficiency at the government educational institutions across the country.

Advisor to Chief Minister said the Provincial Government was not against the construction of roads and bridges, but it had kept focus on social sector development. This year a mega development project was taken into hand, which will be quite visible and beneficial for the common people.

While briefing the media, Akbar Ayub said that an 81-kilometer long Swat Motorway, a mega development project, would be completed at total cost of Rs 41billion. For which, he said Provincial Government would provide Rs 11 billion for initial six months to the FWO.

Akbar Ayub termed the Swat Motorway, ‘a game-changer’, which would benefit people of more than six backward districts of the province. He further said the project would generate employment opportunities, as well as curtail the current traveling duration. He further explained that the Swat Motorway will be constructed from Col Sher Khan Shaheed interchange, to Swat, with total six interchanges.

He viewed the project would also helpful to promote tourism in the region.

When asked about awarding the contract to FWO, instead of other local government contractors, he responded that the contract has been awarded to FWO after competitive bidding, and expression of Interest (EoIs), instead of following single sourcing process, to ensure transparency and fairness in this mega uplift project.