PESHAWAR(National Times)- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Friday said his government was committed to delivering responsive governance, efficient public services, sustainable development and a peaceful environment through optimal utilisation of all available resources.
“We will measure our performance not through presentations but through public satisfaction. The current fiscal year will be a year of peace, development and prosperity,” the chief minister said in a meeting with public representatives from Hazara Division here.
A statement issued by his office read that the meeting was held to assess the progress on development initiatives, law and order, governance, public service delivery and grievance redressal across Hazara Division.
It read that the chief minister was briefed in detail on the implementation status of ongoing development projects, the overall security situation, governance reforms, service delivery performance and institutional mechanisms for addressing public complaints.
Afridi says current fiscal will be year of peace, uplift
Reaffirming the provincial government’s commitment to unlocking Hazara Division’s tourism potential, the chief minister directed the relevant authorities to identify and develop new tourist destinations in Kolai-Palas and Allai areas.
He said that tourism promotion remained a strategic priority of the provincial government and highlighted that Rs500 million had been earmarked under the Khushhal Hazara Package specifically for tourism development projects.
The chief minister instructed all concerned departments to ensure high-quality facilities and hospitality for both domestic and international tourists observing that tourists served as ambassadors of the province’s positive image.
He directed the formulation of dedicated traffic management plans to facilitate smooth movement in major tourist destinations during peak seasons.
The chief minister ordered the formation of a commission to permanently resolve the boundary dispute relating to Chor Mali Valley and Baleej Valley between Kolai-Palas and Battagram districts, with instructions to the relevant authorities to initiate the necessary legal and administrative process without delay.
He directed all relevant departments to remain on high alert and ensure immediate operationalisation of contingency plans, saying comprehensive pre-emptive arrangements must be in place to effectively respond to any emergency situation during the ongoing monsoon season.
Mr Afridi said that elected public representatives should be actively involved in open kutcheris and other community outreach initiatives to facilitate timely identification and resolution of citizens’ concerns.
Referring to the provincial government’s security priorities, the chief minister said that the police budget had been enhanced to further strengthen law and order and improve public safety across the province.
Officials informed the meeting that 139 development schemes were currently under implementation in Hazara Division under the Annual Development Programme, with a substantial proportion of allocated funds already utilised in accordance with implementation schedules.
They said that 1,879 out of 2,111 complaints registered through the Pakistan Citizen Portal had been successfully resolved.
The officials also said under the provincial government’s Open Door Policy, divisional and district administrations conducted more than 100 open kutcheris to strengthen direct engagement with citizens.
They said that land records had been fully digitised in Abbottabad and Battagram, while digitisation had reached 97 per cent in Haripur and 90 per cent in Mansehra, representing significant progress towards transparent and efficient land administration.
Regarding policing reforms, the officials said that 20 police facilitation centres were currently operational across Hazara Division, while six additional centres were under construction to further improve public access to police services.
The chief minister directed all relevant departments to ensure timely, effective and accountable implementation of the decisions taken and instructions issued during the meeting.
Speaker of the KP Assembly Babar Saleem Swati, elected representatives from Hazara Division, chief secretary, inspector general of police and other senior officers attended the meeting.
