Peshawar
Senator Dost Muhammad Mehsud has called upon both the Federal and Provincial governments to pay special attention to the Southern region of KP in order to bring it at par with the developed parts of the Country.
He lamented that DI Khan region being the Main Junction of the CPEC Route has been deprived of its due share in the overall socio-economic development Package as envisaged initially.
To accrue viable benefits out of this Belt and Road Initiative, the Senator Suggested that Motor way be Extended from Yark( Dik)- DGK-Kashmore to Karachi- Gawader, while the Dik-DGK-Kashmor Indus Highway be Dualised, with the view to ensure Speedy Transportation of Goods and Services and Passangers.Moreover, he suggested that Dikhan be linked with the Main Railway Line from Kotla Jam(Bhakker) via Bridge.
From there New Railway line be laid to link it with Pezu- from where it is already linked with Gambila, Bannu, Karak and Kohat.
It is pertinent to mention that this Railway track had been laid by the British in early 20th Century linking Kohat with Tank via Pezu.Both Passengers and Goods trains were operated on this track till 1996.
Ironically in 1997-98, during the tenure of Nawaz Sharif, then CM Punjab and current PM Shabaz Sharif, in league with a local Business Tycoon and MPA Seth Kabir Marwat and thus the whole Railway tracks were Sold to Ittefaq Foundaries on a mere price of 1 Rupee per Ton, thus causing an irreparable losses to the National Economy and caused the downfall of the Railway System in Southern KP.
He demanded that the case be referred to NAB to ascertain the true facts by recovering the looted amount and give exemplary punishments to the accused for depriving the people of travelling facilitate just to fulfill their lust for money.
He opined that this Southern KP Railway Line should be restored by linking it with Zhob via Gomal Valley in the South,and be Extended to Wana.
The Huge amount on M1 be diverted towards Gawader-Hoshab-Turbat-Quetta-Zhob-Gomal- Tank-Pezu-Kohat–Havelian rail line, for Smooth and speedy transportation of Goods via this railway line instead of M1.
He further suggested that the present CPEC Road link from Zhob to DI Khan is untenable owing to mountainous terrain and is 240km long. So the suggested alternative road link from Zhob is Via Gomal Valley (Tank) which is merely 80km and terrain more or less flat- facilitating the movement of Heavy Vehicles . He demanded linking Tank with CPEC Motorway via Zhob-Gomal-Yark.
Furthermore he demanded expediting work on the proposed Peshawer-DI Khan Motorway, that would proved to be Great Game Changer in terms of ensuring Connectivity and generating viable socio-economic activities for this backward Southern region of KP.
He demanded that Tank DI Khan Single Road be Dualised to facilitate the speedy movement of goods , services and passengers. Moreover this important highway be handed over to NHMP for better traffic management to minimise the risks of accidents.
Moreover he suggested that owing to increase in population, a Rail Service may be Launched between DI Khan and Tank to facilitate the ever increasing rush of the daily commuters plus the Afghan Transit Trade whose volume and capacity have increased Manifold in view of the Flourishing trade activities with Afghanistan.
Later this Railway line may be Extended to Angoor Adda also in view of the Fast Pace of Trade activities.
It is pertinent to mention that British had developed a Tram Railway Service for Passangers between Dikhan-Tank before Partition but ironically after independence this Tram Railway System and Line was sold out as Scrap by Corrupt Railway officials along with local mafias.
IT merit mention that the British had planned to extend Tank – Manzai Railway track to Wana – Angoor Adda,but had to be shelved owing to fierce Resistance of the Tribesmen.
He made a fervent appeal to all Political, Social, Academic , Media, NGOs etc Stakeholders to join hands under a Single Platform to get the Due Rights of the Southern region of KP, which had never been given its due Share.
He hinted that soon a Loya Jirga would be convened to deliberate upon the Issues and Problems of the Southern KP in order to evolve an effective Strategy to achieve our Constitutional Rights in a Peaceful Democratic Manner.
He greatly appreciated the overwhelming response of the people of the Southern KP in the recently held Long March of Imran Khan and predicted Clean Sweep for PTI in the coming National Elections, owing to the visionary leadership of Imran Khan who wants to steer Pakistan out of the Block politics in order to concentrate on improving the Socio-economic conditions of the hapless masses which had been exploited in the name of religion and Great games in the past.
