Ecnec gives go-ahead to motorways and university projects

ISLAMABAD: The meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) of the Cabinet, presided over by Finance and revenue Minister Shaukat Tarin, on Friday approved a summary regarding the construction of Dir Motorway, sponsored by the government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and executed by Pakhtunkhwa Highway Authority (PHA), amounting to Rs38.991 billion.

The project envisages construction of 29.377km long, four-lane dual carriageway, which starts from Chakdara and ends at Rabat, Dir district.

The scope of work includes construction of bridges, tunnels, underpasses and cross-road flyovers. The entire project is located in the lower Dir region of KP. The abovementioned project will enhance road connectivity and promote tourism.

Similarly, the ECNEC considered and approved another summary presented by the government of Khyber -Pakhtunkhwa regarding Peshawar–D I Khan Motorway to be executed by the Paktunkhwa Highway Authority.

The total cost of the project is Rs276.529 billion. The project envisages construction of 360km long, six-lane dual carriageway from Peshawar to Dera Ismail Khan and will pass through the Kohat, Hangu, Karak, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Tank and terminate at Dera Ismail Khan. The scope of work includes construction of tunnels, underpasses, etc.

The construction of motorway will enhance trade and tourism and also generate employment opportunities during and after the construction of the road project.

The improved road connectivity will increase the economic prospects for the local population.

The provincial finance minister briefed the committee that the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government is developing motorways/expressways to connect tourist spots, which will not only increase the number of tourists but also ultimately increase the business/employment opportunities for the local population and contribute towards the socioeconomic development of the area.

The Ecnec welcomed such projects to make Pakistan a hub of tourism for the domestic and international tourists as envisaged by the prime minister.

Lastly, the Ecnec approved the project regarding Pak University of Engineering and Emerging Technologies (PUEET), a research university, which will house various centers of excellence in the cutting-edge fields of science and technology and state-of-the-art Technology Park.

The total cost of the project is Rs23.54 billion. The project will result in better quality of education, build industry-academia collaboration and train graduates in new technologies.

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar, Minister for Finance for Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Taimur Khan Jhagra, federal secretaries and other senior officials participated in the meeting.

Adviser on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood also joined the meeting through a video-link.