Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Barrister Masood Kausar has given go ahead signal to execute the Kurram Tangi Dam, a long awaited multi-purpose project, situated in North Waziristan Agency which on completion will bring 0.35 million acres land of Bannu and Lakki districts besides the respective tribal belt and generating 83MW electricity. The project is expected to cost Rs 59 billion.
Presiding over a high level meeting at Governor’s House, Peshawar on Tuesday the Governor further stated that security will never be an issue as far as this project is concerned and he also constituted a steering committee representing all the key stakeholders to overview implementation process and address any difficulty, if arises at any stage.
Besides the Chairman, Wapda Eng Syed Raghab Abbas Shah, Additional Chief Secretary, Fata, Dr Tashfin Khan, Chief Executive, Fata Development Authority, Shah Sahib, Political Agent, North Waziristan Agency, Siraj Khan, and representatives of FWO. The meeting was also attended by Senator Salim Saifullah Khan on a special invitation. Governor while appreciating the spirit and support of the stakeholders said that he, through the Political Agent of the North Waziristan Agency, is already in contact with the respective tribes of the agency and they will be taken along in ensuring smooth materialisation of the project.
He also welcomed the support from the different circles for implementation on the project and said, “we feel more than happy to witness a suitable environment for materialising the project and since the desired level of mechanisms, procedural requirements and above all the support from the stakeholders is very much there, therefore, there should be no delay in launching this project”.
Referring to the stance of the Chairman, Wapda, the Governor said, “let us take concrete steps to get it implemented without any hindrances”. A cell at Fata Secretariat, headed by its Director General Projects is solely meant for this project who will be available to assist all the concerned.
Meanwhile, the Governor was informed that the Federal Government has already allocated an amount of Rs 500 million for acquisition of land. Senator Salim Saifullah Khan, who is also the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the house on Foreign Affairs and hails from District Lakki Marwat, also highlighted the importance of the project for generating economic activities in Fata as well besides significantly contributing for socio-economic uplift of the surrounding districts and improving economic impact at the national level.
