Chitral to be linked with Tajikistan: Salim Khan

Chitral to be linked with Tajikistan: Salim Khan

The Khyber Pakthunkhwa Population Welfare Minister, Salim Khan here on Friday said 205 kilometres road would be constructed to connect Chitral with Tajikistan.

Talking to the Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) Programme at Press Club, Minister said this project would turn Chitral into an economical hub of the region and would greatly help in bringing prosperity to the nation.

The idea to connect both countries was presented by President Asif Ali Zardari during the third quadrilateral summit between Tajikistan, Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Russian Federation.

He said, the project has been discussed with Tajik authorities and PC-I of it has been prepared. The cost of the project has been jacked up to Rs. 18 billion and about Rs. Six to seven billion have so far been spent on it, adding its length would be widen up to 8 feet to ensure smooth flow of traffic between Chitral and downwards district of Khyber Pakthunkhwa. Work on 57 kilometre Darosh-Chitral road would soon start by National Highway Authority (NHA) and it would be completed with an estimated with cost of Rs. 15 billion.

Regarding Lowari tunnel project, he said that the federal government has already announced Rs. 2 billion for Lawari Tunnel and it will be completed by the end of 2012. He thanked Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani for it. He said that tunnel project has been changed to road tunnel keeping in view the shortage of electricity and complications of its operation.

The minister said that with the completion of Lowari tunnel project, Chitral will also be linked with China and it will as catalyst for acceleration of economic activities in this region.

Minister Salim Khan said that the PPP government had determined to materialise the project of immense importance for the people of this backward area. Salim Khan said that their great leader Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Shaheed inaugurated the project of Lawori Tunnel but late on General Zia Ul Haq stooped the project. However, the completion of this project is the utmost priority of the current government and it will be completed soon.

The construction of this road will change the very fate of Chitral and the province of Khyber Pukhotoonkhwa and bring progress and prosperity in the area.

Posted by Sonia Bashir on Oct 17 2011. Filed under Pakistan, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry