DERA ISMAIL KHAN, 16th December 2024.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi inaugurated modern facilities put in place at the Regional Passport Office to facilitate citizens here on Monday.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony, the Governor said that he would continue his struggle for the development of the province including southern districts and especially the Dera Ismail Khan region which had been neglected by the past rulers.
He added that launching state of the art facilities in the passport office was part of such efforts.
The Governor said that five one-window operation desks had been opened to help ease passport-related issues for the residents of southern districts.
He also informed that similar passport desks were being set up at NADRA offices in Paharpur and Prova tehsils to facilitate residents of those areas.
The Governor also thanked Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi, Director General of Passports Mustafa Kamal Qazi, the teams from Peshawar and Islamabad, and the local Nazim Yahya Khan Akkakhel for their support.
Earlier, Director Headquarter Asam Fawad Mirza, Operational Officer Headquarter Islamabad, Zafar Rehman and Technical Head KP Zone Hassan Sheraz and Abdul Rehman gave a briefing about new facilities put in place in the Passport office. They said that five one-window operation desks has been established and now the whole procedure of any applicant would be completed within 10-15 minutes.
Among other prominent figures, the ceremony was attended by former Provincial Minister Abdul Haleem Khan Qasuriya, Party's Divisional President Qaizar Khan Miankhel, former District Nazim Azizullah Khan Alizai, PPP District President Malik Farhan Afzal Dhup, General Secretary Malik Abid Awan, and Nazim Yahya Khan Akkakhel.
On this occasion, while talking to media, he asked the provincial government to cooperate with the IDPs of Kurram, and expressed concerns regarding the Kurram road, for which the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Red Crescent is playing an active role.
He said that area was going to witness several mega development projects including Chashma Lift Canal project which would bring green revolution in Dera region besides giving new impetus to agriculture sector of the entire province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In this regard, he added that eleven companies had submitted pre-qualification applications for the project and its completion would turn the dream of the green Khyber Pakhtunkhwa into a reality, the governor added.
Moreover, he said that his efforts regarding the international airport at Dera Ismail Khan had started yielding concerted results as directives had been issued to the local administration for imposition of section four in Giloti or Yarik areas.
Referring to local issues of people, the governor said five Transmission Balancing Stations (TBS) had been installed to resolve gas pressure issues for the citizens.
About the electricity loadshedding, he said that “the issue would not be politicized but I will take up the matter with authorities concerned.”
He vowed to resolve all those issues of Dera Ismail Khan on priority basis, which were related to federation.
On this occasion, the governor also paid tribute to martyrs of the Army Public School (APS) attack. He said December 16 was a black day in the history of our province and Pakistan.
He also paid tribute to police martyrs and said that police were fighting against the menace of terrorism and rendering immense sacrifices along with other security forces. The governor also mentioned the recent unpleasant incidents during the ongoing polio campaign in which the policemen were martyred in Karak and Bannu divisions.
The Governor also expressed gratitude to all political parties who recently participated in an all-parties conference held at the Governor's House. He said the ruling party in the province Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) showed their true face before the public by refusing to sit with any political party or group for peace efforts. The PTI has consistently promoted division and discord.
On one hand, the law and order situation of the province was deteriorating with each passing day while on the other the provincial ruling party was busy in processions and protests towards the federal capital.