[Dawn] The United States Agency for International Development will continue its support for economic and social development of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central...
and Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
This assurance was given by Andrew Sisson, the USAid's mission director in Pakistain, while speaking at a ceremony at Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) here on Tuesday. He said that the agency had spent $500 million on development and economic growth in the KP and Fata during the past few years.
"We are making a major investment in the KP and Fata," said Mr Sisson, adding that his organization in collaboration with the government, Fata authorities and business community was making efforts to achieve development of the two areas.
Earlier, Senior Minister Bashir Bilour emphasised the need for the US to do more for the economic development of KP.
Bilour, the USAid official, and minister for industries Ahmed Hussain Shah, in their speeches at the ceremony, attached significance to achieving economic growth by promoting industrial and tourism sectors.
"Poverty is the cause of terrorism and not the religious extremism," said Bilour while pressing for sustained industrial growth and tourism development to drive the engine of economic growth in the province.
The USAid-funded 'Vision Document for Tourism Sector of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa' and 'Vision Document for Industries and Manufacturing Sector of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa' were officially unveiled at the chamber.
Bilour said that tourism required the most attention as the province had a large number of serene and attractive places with a vast potential to draw foreign and domestic tourists.
He said that the southern districts of the province had huge reserves of natural gas that could not attract much foreign investment because of the bad security situation. He said that the government was trying to improve the security situation and make the province attractive for foreign investors.
The provincial industries minister talked about his department's under-execution schemes seeking industrial growth in the province. He said that his department would benefit from the SCCI's vision document for the preparation of industrial policy of the province.
In his presentation on the industrial vision document, Nauman Wazir, a local industrialist, said that it was aimed at achieving a double digit industrial growth in the province in next three years with the constant support of the government.
Mohammad Ali, general manager Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Tourism Corporation, unveiling the tourism sector's vision document 2025, said that the provincial government had already started implementing a tourism promotion strategy. He, however, asked for a continued technical and financial support from the USAid to fully implement the vision document.
In his remarks, the SCCI president Afan Aziz urged the provincial ministers present on the occasion to help the chamber in implementation of the framework for the industrial growth. He asked for the continuation of expertise by the USAid, adding "we need doable and identifiable projects."