PESHAWAR, July 29: NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has said that efforts will continue for establishing a welfare Islamic society, restoration of provincial rights and marked improvement in health and education sectors.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the Girls Campus of the Khyber Medical College (KMC) in Hayatabad on Thursday, he said the MMA government would try its best to fulfil promises made with the people.

The chief minister said the establishment of the Girls Campus of the KMC would provide opportunities for those talented female students who were reluctant to pursue higher education in the medical field simply because of the co-education.

He said education and health facilities were must for a developed society and the government had initiated construction work for top grade hospitals in 19 districts and their completion would improve health facilities in all major hospitals and they would no more be overcrowded.

Mr Durrani said the Frontier province was poor and lacked resources. He alleged that successive governments in the past had intentionally ignored the development of the province.

He said the MMA government considered the power a sacred trust and all promises made to the people would be fulfilled. He said the development projects initiated by the present government would change the fate of the people.

He said provision of free books up to primary level, exemption of five marla houses from property tax and better health facilities were some of the revolutionary steps of the NWFP government which were being imitated by the Punjab government.

He said postgraduate classes in all government degree colleges for girls had been started to help female students get higher education in their areas. He said the MMA government had controlled non-developmental expenditures which had increased government's resources.

Mr Durrani said that for eliminating poverty and joblessness, development of the agriculture sector was inevitable. The MMA government has worked out a comprehensive policy to control wastage of water and for this purpose 20 small dams would be built, he added. He said the federal government had approved construction of 10 small dams, which would irrigate thousands of acres of barren lands in southern districts.

Opinion

The Dar story continues

The Dar story continues

One wonders what the rationale was for the foreign minister — a highly demanding, full-time job — being assigned various other political responsibilities.

Editorial

Wheat protests
Updated 01 May, 2024

Wheat protests

The government should withdraw from the wheat trade gradually, replacing the existing market support mechanism with an effective new one over the next several years.
Polio drive
01 May, 2024

Polio drive

THE year’s fourth polio drive has kicked off across Pakistan, with the aim to immunise more than 24m children ...
Workers’ struggle
Updated 01 May, 2024

Workers’ struggle

Yet the struggle to secure a living wage — and decent working conditions — for the toiling masses must continue.
All this talk
Updated 30 Apr, 2024

All this talk

The other parties are equally legitimate stakeholders in the country’s political future, and it must give them due consideration.
Monetary policy
30 Apr, 2024

Monetary policy

ALIGNING its decision with the trend in developed economies, the State Bank has acted wisely by holding its key...
Meaningless appointment
30 Apr, 2024

Meaningless appointment

THE PML-N’s policy of ‘family first’ has once again triggered criticism. The party’s latest move in this...