PESHAWAR – Chief Minister Sohail Afridi expressed concern over delays in the Karak Salt and Gypsum City project and urged authorities to show tangible progress within the next three months.
These instructions were delivered during a meeting convened to review the Annual Development Programme (ADP), as well as law and order, governance, public service delivery, and development priorities for the Kohat Division, according to an official statement.
Afridi highlighted the project’s strategic significance, noting its strong potential to boost provincial revenues and create jobs for local communities.
He also announced the launch of divisional performance review meetings, following approval of the provincial budget.
The chief minister said the initiative aims to ensure effective implementation of government priorities, timely completion of projects, and measurable improvements in public service delivery across the province.
“The true measure of governance is not the quality of presentations but the confidence and satisfaction of our citizens,” he said.
He directed all departments to prioritize public trust and deliver tangible outcomes in service delivery.
Highlighting strategic priorities, he underscored the need for sustained attention and a coordinated institutional response to ongoing security challenges in the southern districts.
He instructed administrative officers to maintain regular engagement with citizens, discourage bureaucratic barriers, and transform government offices into responsive public service centers.
He ordered the early operationalisation of development schemes that are nearing completion to benefit the populace.
Emphasising the resolution of long‑standing issues in the southern districts, Afridi called for immediate progress on practical, sustainable solutions to ensure safe drinking water for residents.
Reaffirming the government’s zero‑tolerance stance on sexual violence, he instructed authorities to prosecute rapists without exception and bring perpetrators to justice.
He also ordered an intensified crackdown on drug networks, describing drug abuse as a serious social menace, and instructed relevant departments to implement comprehensive rehabilitation measures for drug‑dependent individuals to facilitate reintegration into society.
He instructed district administrations to facilitate regular participation of elected representatives in open forums and citizen‑engagement initiatives to strengthen local coordination.
Reviewing the health sector, Afridi directed authorities to accelerate the District Headquarters Hospitals Revamping Programme.
Noting staff absenteeism at a hospital in Hangu, he ordered immediate action against responsible parties, stating that negligence in institutions linked to public health and life will not be tolerated.
He also urged for a comprehensive inventory of all major pending public‑sector projects across the province, emphasizing that those with the greatest public impact should be prioritized.