PESHAWAR Major developmental projects across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have come to a halt, with officials warning that budget shortfalls are crippling infrastructure and public welfare schemes in the province.
According to officials from the provincial Planning and Development Department, over 40 ongoing projects in health, education, roads and water supply have either slowed down or been completely stalled due to non-release of funds.
A senior official said contractors in districts including Swat, Dir, Kohat and D.I. Khan have stopped work because of pending payments worth billions.
”We have approved schemes under the ADP, but without funds we cannot move forward. The situation is affecting service delivery to the public,” he said.
”Thousands of skilled and unskilled workers have been sitting idle for weeks. If funds are not released soon, many contractors will abandon the projects,” she added.
A contractor working on a road project in Swat, said: “We started work with our own resources, but now we cannot pay our staff. The government must clear dues immediately.”
Experts warn that delays will widen the infrastructure gap in KP and increase public frustration. development analyst based in Peshawar, said: “Development is directly linked to public trust. If projects remain pending, people will lose confidence in the system.”
The provincial government has reportedly written to the federal government seeking emergency grants to restart stalled schemes.
Officials hope that additional funding in the next quarter will help resume work on priority projects.
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