Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Pervez Khattak announced on Sunday the establishment of Kalam Development Authority which will cater for development of communication, tourism, sports and environment infrastructure in Kalam.
He was addressing the concluding ceremony of Swat Tourism and Trade Festival at Shahi Ground, Kalam.
General Officer Commanding, Malakand Army Division, Major General Nadir Khan, Advisor to Chief Minister on sports and tourism Amjad Afridi, Chairman DEDAC Swat, Fazal Hakim, MNA Salimur Rehman and civil and military officers as well as a large number of tourists and local people attended the celebrations.
Paying tribute to Pakistan Army and the people of Swat for bringing peace and harmony in the area the Chief Minister said that dark-age of terrorism prevailed in Malakand Division few years ago and it had become impossible to hold such functions in Swat. But due to the sacrifices and firm commitment of the valiant soldiers of Pakistan’s army, civil forces and the local people, terrorism had become the story of the past and a new era of peace, progress and prosperity had started in Swat. He said that today the entire nation was grateful to those heroes of the country who sacrificed their lives for the future of the country and the nation during the war on terror.
The chief minister on this occasion announced that Kalam Festival would be made a permanent annual feature of the province. Showing concern over the dilapidated condition of the roads of Kalam, he announced the establishment of Kalam Development Authority on urgent bases explaining that the authority, to be set up on the lines of Galiyat Development Authority, would be responsible for infrastructure development, especially for communication, tourism, environment and sports sectors and would also act as regulatory body to ensure sustainability of all the initiatives to be taken in this respect, and that it would be provided with all the required financial and regulatory support.
The chief minister also announced construction of Kalam-Mahodand metaled road on a priority basis and said that the local people and tourists would witness visible progress on improvement of the communication infrastructure as well as other facilities in Kalam by next year. He said that some projects had already been approved for Kalam. He also announced improvement of Shahi Ground Kalam before the next festival.