Corps Commander Peshawar, Lt. General Nazir Ahmad Butt, visited Mohmand District to inspect the progress of work on the Main Ghalanai to Mamad Ghat highway on Friday.
DG FWO Major General Inam Haider Malik and IG FC North Major General Waseem Ashraf were also present on the occasion.
During his visit, Corps Commander said that it is matter of great pride for him as a Pakistani to witness the construction work on highway, which is in its full swing, under the control of Frontier works Organization (FWO). It must be mentioned here that the highway is 43km long, including an 800 metre long state of the art Nahakki tunnel. Nahakki Tunnel was inaugurated in September 2017 by the Chief of Army Staff.
Speaking to Daily times, DG FWO Major General Inam Haider Malik said that due to carpeting of first layer of asphalt the ride quality has improved manifold. He said that this resulted in an increase in traffic flow from Bajaur, Upper Dir and Lower Dir by almost two to three times since May, 2018.
”As per District administration traffic flow has increased from 1600 vehicles to 4000-5000 vehicles per day”, said Haider.
Officials of the local administration also told that this increased traffic flow has triggered economic activity too, which is resulting in the construction of new hotels and other commercial buildings.
” In the last 6 months a mushrooming of hotels, petrol pumps and commercial facilities can be witnessed along the stretch of the road which has naturally led to an increase in property rates in the region ” officials of the district administration told Daily times. On his visit Corps Commander also met a Jirga of tribal elders at Mamad Ghat.
Tribal elders expressed thanks to the armed forces for bringing peace and stability in Mohmand along with the initiation of projects in health and education sectors.
Tribesmen also conveyed a collective gratitude of the people of Mohmand to armed forces for setting up of a state of the art Type-D Tehsil Headquarter hospital at Mamad Ghat, for bringing Cadet College Mamad Ghat to Mohmand and for other initiatives to improve the socio-economic condition of the region.
The Corps Commander praised the tribal people for their resilience and the sacrifices in bringing peace and stability to Mohmand and Fata.
He also congratulated them on the merger of FATA with KP and conveyed that an era of prosperity and equal opportunities for improved livelihoods for the people FATA is underway and, soon there would be an improvement in the socio-economic condition of the region.
Published in Daily Times, September 1st 2018.
