ISLAMABAD: Calling for enhanced coordination, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to discuss joint efforts aimed at promoting development and prosperity in the province.
According to a statement reported by state broadcaster news PTV News, the prime minister assured full federal support, within its constitutional mandate, for development projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including improvements in infrastructure, education, healthcare and the creation of employment opportunities.
He termed federal-provincial cooperation essential for maintaining law and order in the province, stressing that provincial efforts to ensure peace and stability must be further strengthened.
He urged the provincial government to reinforce its institutions to effectively counter terrorism.
The PM Shehbaz said both the federal and provincial governments would continue joint efforts to completely eradicate terrorism.
He added that ensuring peace, stability and public welfare in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is a constitutional responsibility of the provincial government.
He noted that the provincial government is empowered to take initiatives in health and education, and emphasized that concrete steps must be taken for the welfare of the people.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed that the federal government has always remained committed to improving the lives of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s citizens.
The CM Afridi, as cited by Dawn, termed the meeting a “demand of his role”.
“We have always condemned terrorism wherever it has taken place and we will also condemn it in the future. Terrorism has no province or country or religion, and whoever carries out terrorism, we all should condemn it as a Pakistani,” he said.
The Dawn reported that CM said no discussions were held regarding him being denied meetings with party founder Imran Khan, who is incarcerated at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail.
“There were no talks on anything political,” he said.
The chief minister asserted that the KP government had provided Rs26bn from its fund in the merged districts under the Accelerated Implementation Programme (AIP).
Afridi said PM Shehbaz issued directives to Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal to meet Aslam later on Monday and make “every possible effort to solve these issues”.
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