Khyber-Pakhtunkwa Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak called upon the federal government to live up to its commitment to speed up work on the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and fulfil the assurances given to the provincial authorities.

Speaking to the Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal, the K-P chief minister stressed that the western route should be a part of the CPEC and that all facilities provided to the eastern route should be extended to the western route.

Khattak was accompanied by his cabinet members from the PTI, JI and QWP. Ahsan assured participants that work on the corridor’s western route would be fast tracked. He also said the prime minster would soon call an all parties conference in which leaders of all parties would be briefed over the progress made in the developmental schemes.

Whatever is assured to the province in CPEC would be completely acted upon,” the minister added.

Both the leaders agreed that the much-delayed Takht Bai flyover of Mardan would be inaugurated on December 30, while the Lowari tunnel would be opened for traffic in 2017.

Earlier, in a briefing Ahsan told the meeting that under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) the 140-kilometre N-55 road between Kohat and Karak would be upgraded. Similarly, Kohat and Jhand road is also included in the PSDP.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 11th, 2016.