KP cabinet approves launching of Rashakai Economic Zone

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet in its meeting on Tuesday approved the launching of the Rashakai Economic Zone, besides okaying the finance bill.Up to 25 percent share to Karak, Kohat and Hangu districts in the oil and gas royalty was approved as well. The Members National Assembly (MNAs) from the districts concerned were included in the royalty fund. Rashakai Economic Zone near the Rashakai Interchange on the Motorway will be executed through a joint venture of the China Road and Bridge Company (CRBC) and the provincial government, Information Minister Shaukat Yusufzai said this while briefing the media on the lawn of the provincial assembly.He said the project would bring $128 million investment and was the first economic zone in the country under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). “The project will create 200,000 jobs including 50,000 direct and 150,000 affiliated ones, 80 percent of which would be from KP,” he added.The minister said 1000 acres of land had been acquired for the economic zone wherein 702 acres would be for industrial units and the remaining for the residential accommodation and other required facilities.The Chinese company would fund the project and the provincial government would be the owner of the land, he maintained. To a question about the removal of secretary transport Kamran Rehman and Director General, Peshawar Development Authority (PDA), Israrul Haq, who was project director of Bus Rapid Transport (BRT), he said they were punished for misleading the government and public about the project.Denying the reports of Rs7 billion corruption in the BRT, he said legal notices would be sent to those carrying the news. He repeated the claim that the BRT was the most transparent project and nobody can prove a single penny corruption in it.Meanwhile, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly was told that crimes rate had been reduced in the province as last year 141 cases of kidnapping were reported that were reduced to 110 this year. It was informed that murder incidents reduced as well.Winding up the debate on the law and order situation, Law Minister Sultan Muhammad Khan appreciated the overall performance and sacrifices of police force rendered during the militancy. However, he expressed concern over shortcomings in the prosecution.

from The News International - National https://ift.tt/2K4DN47