CHARSADDA: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Friday claimed that the ill-conceived economic policies of the previous rulers were to blame for the current wave of inflation in the country.

Addressing a public meeting here, Mr Mahmood said that the PTI government led by Prime Minister Imran Khan was taking crucial steps to control the prices of essential commodities.

He said that the ‘so-called’ Pakhtun leaders ruled the province for a long time but did nothing for the well-being of the people.

The chief minister said that Prime Minister Imran Khan was striving to protect the future of the youth.

He said that the Sehat Card Scheme was the PTI government’s pro-poor initiative for the provision of free healthcare to the entire population of the province.

Announces medical college for Charsadda

Mr Mahmood said that the Sehat Card Scheme also covered the expensive treatment and procedures like liver and kidney transplants.

He said that his government recently launched the Kissan Card Scheme to support the farmers of the province to provide them with seeds, pesticides and fertilisers at subsidised rates.

The chief minister said that the Education Card and Food Card schemes would be launched in near future.

He said that his government had earmarked Rs10 billion worth of funds for the Food Card Scheme in the current budget under which ration would be provided to the needy families across the province on a monthly basis.

Mr Mahmood said that work was under way on Rs25 billion development schemes in Charsadda district, while the projects valuing Rs1 billion each would be executed in all constituencies of the district very soon.

He said that the revamping of the district headquarters hospital would be carried out to enhance its capacity and ensure the provision of improved healthcare facilities to the people at local level.

The chief minister announced the establishment of a medical college in Charsadda district. He also inaugurated an artificial hockey turf at a sport stadium and the widening of the Rajjar-Takhtbhai Road.

The chief minister told reporters at the sport stadium that his government was taking tangible steps to promote hockey and other sports at grassroots level in line with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

He said the province had only two artificial hockey turfs before the PTI formed the government.

Mr Mahmood also said the province had only 69 sports grounds before the formation of the PTI government, but 110 more grounds were established afterwards.

He said the government was going to organise a hockey league and school cricket championship in the province to revive those sports at grassroots level.

Members of the provincial cabinet Fazal Shakoor Khan and Arif Ahmadzai and MNA Fazal Mohammad Khan were also present on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd, 2021