Prime Minister Imran Khan inaugurated the 293kms long Hakla-Dera Ismail Khan Motorway on Wednesday - an important part of the western route of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)
According to reports, the Hakla-DI Khan motorway has 11 interchanges, 36 bridges, 33 flyovers and 119 underpasses
The motorway will help transform DI Khan into one of the main business hubs in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), linking South Punjab and Balochistan
It will also enable the supply of agricultural produce to different parts of the country
Speaking on the occasion, PM Imran said that previously the development of the country was confined only to GT roads
“A country achieves progress if there is uniform development across its length and breadth
It is made possible due to long-term planning like China, which has planned 30 years ahead,” the PM added
The prime minister said that future planning will envisage a roadmap towards progress, embracing all parts of the country
“If only a few areas are developed only people living in those areas would become rich, leaving behind populations of backward areas in poverty
This was the biggest problem of the developing world,” he added
Read PM to inaugurate Karachi’s first mass transit service tomorrow The premier recollected that during the 60s, Pakistan focused on long-term planning as some of the country’s biggest projects were conceived during that period
He said that he had consistently been stating during the last 25 years that corruption had been the biggest problem in Pakistan
“In the past, roads were being constructed at expensive costs as the money was going into someone’s pockets
How can it be that roads constructed during 2013 were more costly than they are now,” he lamented
Commending the efforts of the minister of communication, the prime minister said that it was among the top three performing ministries
“Revenues of the National Highway Authority had been doubled after steps taken against corruption including e-tendering, besides NHA's encroached land worth Rs5 billion was also recovered,” he said
The premier further said that people in far-flung areas were deprived of health facilities as he stressed on the provision of education and justice
“People in less developed areas like Mianwali would have the option of availing the best treatment facilities due to the health cards,” he said
“Each family would get treatment worth Rs1 million free of cost
Such initiatives will also enable the private sector to establish a health network in these areas
” The prime minister said the Hakla-DI Khan motorway would connect areas which were less developed
A lack of facilities forced people residing in DI-Khan and Mianwali to move to developed cities, consequently resulting in a 'brain drain' from that area
The premier expressed confidence in the motorway going a long way in raising the living standards of the people living in these areas
“Such prospects would also promise a bright future of Pakistan,” he assured
Date: | 06-Jan-2022 | Reference: | View Original Link |
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