PESHAWAR – The Provincial Government has expedited work on implementationof Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision to increase revenue, eliminatecorruption and retrieving of all encroached lands of theGovernment in the province.

Shakeel Ahmed, Provincial Minister for Revenue told APP during an exclusiveinterview that ourfirst priority is implementation of Prime Minister’s 100 days programme inthe province. “We would computerize government estates record in letter andspirit in KP as per PM’s vision,” he maintained.

The Minister reiterated encroachments made in government lands would beremoved and all the encroached land would be retrieved in all cost.He said planning for retrieval of encroached lands has been almostcompleted and practical work for its retrieval would commence soon. “I warnencroachers to vacate the land voluntarily, otherwise, face strict action.”

The KP Government has adopted zero tolerance against corruption andnepotism and all decisions are being taken strictly.“We are going to give targets to officers for revenue generation and willaward incentives to them after meeting set targets in a stipulated time,”he said.

“We have buried culture of like and dislikes in transfers and posting ofgovernment officers and merit is being ensured in these key mattersimperative for good governance and qualitative improvement in working ofpublic sectors departments for well-being of masses.”“Any officer exhibited good performance and meets assigned financialtargets would be rewarded while strict punishment would be given to thosefound guilty in corrupt practices,” he remarked.

“The promotion cases of Patwaris and other lower staff would be expeditedas per set rules and procedures strictly on merit and no delay would betolerated in this regard, he maintained.The Minister said government was committed to end sense of deprivation ofpeople of Malakand and was working on a comprehensive strategy to expeditepace of economic development there.

To promote industrialization and trade activities, he said industrial zoneswould be setup in Malakand to provide jobs opportunities to youth.The Minister informed that Higher Education Commission (HEC) has approved awomen campus of Malakand University and work on it would commence soon inMalakand district.Shakeel said provincial government would be requested to establish anEngineering Campus of University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar inMalakand.

The Minister gave full credit to Prime Minister Imran Khan for giving thecoveted slot of Chief Minister KP to Mehmood Khan belonged to Swat MalakandDivision besides portfolio of Minister for State to Murad Saeed Khan.He said all the promises made by Prime Minister Imran Khan would befulfilled.

The Minister urged philanthropists, landowners, industrialists, traders,businessmen and others to generously contribute in the joint fund of PrimeMinister Imran Khan and Supreme Court of Pakistan for construction ofDiamir Bhasha and Mohmand dams.

He said past regimes despite tall slogans of building of new dams hascompletely failed to do so and resultantly, people are now facingload-shedding and energy crisis.The Minister said previous PTI Government had fulfilled the promise ofImran Khan regarding construction of small hydropower projects in differentdistricts of KP from which electricity generation has already been started.

Shakeel said the country was currently facing different issues pertainingto climate change and to counter it, a gigantic ‘Plant for Pakistan’initiative was launched on directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan withtarget of planting of 10 billion trees in next five years in the province.KP has planted over one billion trees under Billion Tress AfforstrationProject (BTAP) of previous PTI Government and will sow additional twobillions saplings in next five years in KP to offset growing effects ofclimate change, global warming and prevent fertile land fromdesertification.

“The target of 10 billion trees can easily be achieved if every Pakistanplant at least five saplings in monsoon season and then look after it, 1000million saplings would be planted in one season.”

“Prime Minister Imran Khan has set an unprecedented example of austerity bydeciding not to stay in luxury Prime Minister House,” he said, addingconverting PM House to a postgraduate University and Governor Houses tomuseums would save billions of rupees to the national kitty.

He said converting of PM House to a university reflected Prime MinisterImran Khan’s deep commitment towards promotion of higher quality educationin the country and the entire nation lookto this decision in high esteem.