Business Recorder
PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi has said that by 2030, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would attain self-sufficiency in s food and other key sectors. He further announced that the upcoming provincial budget would include enhanced allocations for the Food Department, along with the construction of modern, technology-driven wheat storage facilities aimed at improving food security and reducing post-harvest losses. The Chief Minister was addressing a ceremony held at the Chief Minister’s House in connection with World Food Safety Day, organised by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority. Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Food Dr Muhammad Israr, Secretary Food, and the Director General of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority also addressed the ceremony. The Chief Minister emphasised that raising public awareness regarding safe food practices and promoting responsible consumption behaviours are critical requirements of the present time. He noted that the establishment of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority has significantly improved the availability of safe and healthy food for the public. Referring to intergovernmental issues affecting the province, Muhammad Sohail Afridi stated that the Government of Punjab had suspended the supply of wheat to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and that repeated communications from the provincial government had not met any positive response. He said that governments formed without the backing of the electorate are more focused on preserving their position than addressing the needs and concerns of the public. The Chief Minister also highlighted delays in key development projects due to the indifference of federal government. He noted that the provincial government had allocated Rs. 3 billion for the Chashma Right Bank Canal (CRBC) Project, while no corresponding federal allocation had been made. He stated that the federal government had originally committed to financing 80 percent of the project cost and subsequently reduced its commitment to 65 percent, yet no funds had ultimately been allocated in the budget. The timely completion of the CRBC Project is critical not only for achieving agricultural growth and food self-sufficiency but also for strengthening long term food security by bringing vast tracts of cultivable land under irrigation and enhancing the province’s capacity to produce safe and reliable food supplies. Similarly, he informed participants that the provincial government had provided bridge financing of Rs. 4 billion for the Northern Bypass Project. He further stated that the Peshawar Bus Terminal has been completed but remains non-operational due to the non-issuance of the required NOC by the National Highway Authority. Likewise, he said that a dam project in Swat is ready for inauguration; however, the federal authorities have yet to issue the necessary NOC for the visit of foreign engineers associated with the project. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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