The World Bank has revised its assessment of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Human Capital Investment Project (KPHCIP), valued at $200 million, due to delays in its implementation. Official records indicate that the current progress towards achieving the Project Development Objective (PDO) and the implementation status are both moderately unsatisfactory. As of January 12, 2024, $31.76 million disbursed for the KPHCIP, which represents approximately 16 percent of the total project funds. Initial delays and recent downgrades in performance are attributed to prolonged approvals of the revised Planning Commission Proforma—Project Initiation Document (PC-1), along with a downgrade in the Environmental Safeguards rating. Approved…
Author: Web Desk2
On Monday, Pakistan struck terrorists in Afghanistan via “intelligence-based” aerial strikes. The strikes were aimed at punishing the “terrorists” responsible for the deaths of civilians and security forces in cross-border raids. The operation specifically targeted fugitive commanders associated with Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a globally designated terrorist organization based in Afghan sanctuaries. Afghanistan’s Taliban government denounced the strikes, claiming that eight civilians, mostly women and children, were killed. However, the identities of the deceased could not be independently verified. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry stated that it had repeatedly urged the Afghan authorities to take action against terrorism and the use of Afghan…
The directive from the federal interior ministry to the Punjab government signals the commencement of the second phase of a deportation operation aimed at addressing the presence of Afghan citizen card holders in the region, set to begin on April 15. This decision underscores the ongoing efforts to manage migration and address security concerns in the province. In a significant development, a video conference convened by Federal Interior Secretary Aftab Durrani, in collaboration with Punjab Home Secretary Noorul Amin and other key officials. It served as a platform to outline the strategy for the upcoming phase of the deportation operation.…
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif asserted that terrorism against Pakistan is emanating from Afghanistan. Militants are utilizing Afghan territory to perpetrate attacks within Pakistan, following the loss of seven army personnel, including two officers, in a terrorist assault the previous day. In a media address in Sialkot on Sunday, he emphasized, “Terrorism against us originates mostly from Afghanistan.” The casualties occurred during a terrorist assault on a security forces post in North Waziristan district on Saturday. Pakistan has consistently accused Afghan authorities of failing to act against terrorist organizations, including the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), operating on Afghan soil and conducting…
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is considering the establishment of a new special security force for permanent deployment at sensitive installations in the province. This proposal, known as the “Security Division,” was discussed in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur. Attendees included Provincial Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chauhdry, Inspector General of Police Akhtar Hayat Khan Gandapur, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Mohammad Abid Majeed, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Amjad Ali Khan, administrative secretaries, and police officials. The meeting focused on the overall law and order situation in the province. An official statement from the Chief Minister’s…
Afghanistan has been facing an economic crisis for over two years, with food insecurity looming day by day. “The situation is deteriorating every day,” Ahmad, a former journalist in Herat, Afghanistan, told me. “I don’t think anyone can afford to buy sufficient food anymore.” Afghanistan has been facing an economic crisis for over two years, following the reduction of foreign funding by donors in response to the Taliban takeover in 2021. Additionally, Afghanistan’s Central Bank faced sanction from the international system. The Taliban’s violations of women’s rights, particularly in employment, education, and freedom of movement, have worsened the situation. The…
In a significant development aimed at thawing relations, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur met Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday, urging the prime minister to engage politically with PTI’s founder, Imran Khan. Following the meeting at the Prime Minister House, Gandapur, accompanied by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, briefed reporters, portraying the interaction with Shehbaz as constructive. He appealed to the prime minister to lift the ban on visiting Imran and other detainees in Adiala Jail, emphasizing the need to discuss the forthcoming Senate elections with PTI’s founder. Imran, held in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail on various charges, faced a two-week prohibition…
Iranian company M/s Sunir has expressed interest in carrying out second part of Gwadar transmission line phase I contract deal. It cited concerns over non-payment of a significant sum by the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) for the first part of the project. In a letter dated February 19, 2024, addressed to the Secretary Power, the Managing Director of M/s Sunir, Hasan Gholinezhad, stated that despite delays in the contractual start date, the company commenced work on the Gwadar transmission line promptly following the signing of amendment number 2(A) and under the special instructions of the Prime Minister of…
The Bajaur Soil Testing Laboratory has revolutionized farming practices in the area by providing timely research results on soil samples. Two years ago, Shafiullah, a 38-year-old farmer from Kawsar Dheri village in Khar Tehsil of Bajaur district, had never contemplated the option of analyzing agricultural land samples in a Bajaur laboratory, as his forefathers had always relied on traditional farming practices. However, after being informed by Agriculture Department officials about the Soil Testing Laboratory established in Inayat Clay, he decided to analyze soil samples from his farm. The results revealed highly acidic soil with a deficiency in nitrates, adversely affecting…
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has embarked on a vital mission to address the significant challenge of 4.7 million out-of-school kids by launching a special admission campaign at the onset of the new academic year. Led by Provincial Minister of Secondary Education, Faisal Tarkai, this initiative underscores the enduring commitment of the government to prioritize education and health sectors over the past decade, particularly under the leadership of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party in the province. Despite sustained efforts, including the declaration of an educational emergency, the stark reality remains that a staggering 4.7 million children in KP do not…