Advisor to Chief Minister for Finance Muzammil Aslam and other senior officials were also present on the occasion.
During the meeting, they discussed matters of mutual interest, development projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and cooperation from the World Bank, with special focus on ongoing development projects in communications, energy, health, education, tourism, irrigation, and other sectors.
The Chief Minister thanked the World Bank for its cooperation in implementing various development projects and said that the World Bank has played a significant role in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s development projects. He emphasized that the incumbent provincial government is focusing on uplifting backward districts and they require special investment in roads, infrastructure, health, and education sectors.
The Chief Minister highlighted the immense potential of tourism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which can create new job opportunities. He mentioned that the current government is working on reforms, effective monitoring, and digitization in every sector. “The government has increased provincial revenue by 50% without imposing new taxes, and this money is being spent on the people’s welfare”, he said.
The Chief Minister also mentioned other reformative and developmental initiatives, including the introduction of the E-PADS system for effective monitoring and implementation of development projects in works departments, construction of small dams for agriculture and water management, and laying of a power transmission line to provide electricity to local industries at cheaper rates.
The Chief Minister said that industrial sector development is crucial for eliminating unemployment, and they are investing in projects that have the potential to repay loans. World Bank’s outgoing country director Najy Ben Hassine praised the progress of development projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the government’s efforts to increase provincial revenue. He assured that the World Bank’s cooperation with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government will continue in future.
The Chief Minister appreciated the services of outgoing Country Director Najy Ben Hassine and expressed well wishes for him.
