PESHAWAR: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced Rs160 billion in development funds for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and its merged tribal districts, while assuring members of the Area Representative and Development Council (ARDC) that they will be granted the necessary powers to oversee development projects in their respective areas.
The announcements were made during a meeting between the prime minister and ARDC members following a high-level session of the federal Apex Committee, according to Mahmood Jan Babar, adviser to the Area Development Secretariat.
Babar said the meeting was attended by senior political and military leadership, including Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, the federal ministers for finance, interior, law and information, Federal Minister Engineer Amir Muqam, and the Peshawar corps commander, along with other officials.
He said the prime minister took the council members into confidence after the Apex Committee meeting and held detailed discussions with them on development priorities and public issues in the tribal districts.
PM Asks Council Members to Oversee Development Projects
According to Babar, the prime minister told council members that the Rs160 billion package would provide them with an opportunity to improve living conditions in their respective areas.
Shehbaz Sharif urged the representatives to develop their own programmes according to local needs and personally monitor development projects to ensure that funds were spent properly and work was completed as planned.
When council members called for greater administrative authority, the prime minister assured them that the government was prepared to grant the powers they required and would ensure implementation of the agreed decisions.
Babar said the federal government would provide financial resources, while the field marshal’s team and other relevant institutions would support the council members in carrying out development initiatives.
Security Measures and Development to Move Together
The meeting also reviewed counterterrorism operations and policing measures undertaken in the region over the past 13 years.
Babar said that participants agreed that initiatives which had experienced delays would be accelerated and made more effective so that security measures and development activities could proceed together.
The discussions also focused on the security situation across the tribal districts. Babar said development projects would be completed rapidly in areas where peace had been established.
In areas facing security challenges, local residents and tribal elders would be encouraged to assess the causes of instability and engage with individuals involved in disruptive activities to explain the impact on local development.
He emphasised, however, that confronting armed groups was not the responsibility of ordinary citizens or council members.
The operational responsibility for dealing with armed elements would remain with the security forces, Pakistan Army, Frontier Constabulary and police, he said.
PM Addresses Wheat Shortage and Flour Prices
The meeting also took up concerns over wheat shortages and rising flour prices in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to Babar, the prime minister assured participants that emergency measures were being taken to bring flour prices in the province in line with those in other provinces.
He said obstacles related to wheat supplies and flour prices were being addressed under the federal package.
The provincial administration and local communities were also urged to prevent the hoarding of wheat and flour to help stabilise supplies and prices.
Council Members to Play Greater Role in Local Development
The proposed transfer of greater responsibilities to ARDC members is intended to strengthen local oversight of development projects and improve coordination between communities and government institutions.
The Rs160 billion package is expected to support development across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and its merged tribal districts, with a focus on local infrastructure, public needs and areas affected by prolonged insecurity.
The implementation of the announced measures will depend on the allocation of funds, the delegation of administrative powers and coordination among the federal government, provincial authorities, security institutions and council representatives.
ALSO READ: PTI ruined the peace achieved by sacrifices of many: PM
