Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has said that the provincial government has taken up the matter of the provision of new industrial gas connections and enhancement of existing connections in the province with the federal government.
Talking to a delegation of the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) KP region, headed by Senator Osman Saifullah Khan at the CM Secretariat on Friday, he said that several letters have been written and meetings have been held with the officials of the federal government to discuss this matter.
The delegation consisted of Raza Kuli Khan Khattak, Afan Aziz, Liaquat Ali Khan, Mohammad Zahid Shah, Sikandar Kuli Khan Khattak and Waqat Ahmad Khan. Additionally, Special Assistant to the CM Abdul Monim Khan, Vice Chairman Board of Investment & Trade (BoIT) Mohsin Aziz, chairman Sarhad Development Authority (SDA), secretary industries, secretary labour, secretary Workers Welfare Board, chief executive PESCO, deputy general manager SNGPL, and others.
The chief minister said that the provincial and federal governments have differences over the utilization of the electricity generated from the additional gas. He further pointed out that the Federal Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar has stated that gas should be provided to the national grid, while the provincial government wants its utilization for the development of local industrial units, which will in turn help attract investment and create employment opportunities.
Khattak explained that the provincial government had written letters to both the prime minister and the finance minister. However, if there were no progress made on the matter then the next step would be a petition to the Supreme Court. He expressed anguish over delays in the handover of the labour Colony at Gadoon Industrial Estate to workers. Moreover, he issues directions that the process be completed within a period of two days.
