LAKKI MARWAT/BANNU, Nov 16: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ameer Haider Khan Hoti on Wednesday said his government was ready to hold talks with militants provided that they renounced militancy and accept the writ of state.

“Our doors are open to those, who have gone astray by choosing the path of violence and militancy, if they guarantee living in peace in future,” he told a public meeting after inaugurating the Bacha Khan Vocational Institute at the district headquarters complex in Tajazai area of Lakki Marwat.

Work on the institute has been completed at the cost of Rs19 million.

The chief minister also unveiled the plaque of the foundation stone of a bridge over river Gambila near Kot Kashmir. The bridge along with an approach road will be built at the estimated cost of Rs100 million.

Criticising his political rivals, Mr Hoti said his government gave identity to Pakhtuns by naming the province as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and securing provincial autonomy through 18th constitutional amendment. He further said under NFC award, extra resources had been collected from the centre and they were being used on development.

He said annual development programme had been increased by 80 per cent, adding that resources of net profit of hydropower generation received from Wapda would be spent on power projects.

The chief minister said he would inaugurate two such projects in power sector in Swat and Chitral next month. He said the expected income/royalty from oil and gas sector had been increased to Rs15 billion from Rs800 million and that the money would be spent on the development of southern districts and start of development projects in the province.

Mr Hoti announced over Rs650 million development package for the district and said the ANP-led government would continue working for the people’s welfare.

According to him, under the package, establishment of a cadet college, a boy’s degree college in Darra Pezu, up-gradation of a girl’s primary school, a 15km road, a bridge over Gambila river, Rs70 million for installation of tube wells, Rs20 million for installation of pressure pumps, Rs15 million for electrification schemes, two buses for colleges, posting of doctors in the district headquarters hospital and reconstruction of Government Higher Secondary School Naurang building has been planned.

Provincial information minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain, MPA Yasmeen Zia, provincial president ANP Afrasayab Khattak and district president Sadruddin Khan also addressed participants.

Earlier, the chief minister visited Bannu and addressed people in the circuit house.

He said sacrifices of Bacha Khan followers and ANP workers for peace in the province would not go to waste.

“We won’t hesitate from rendering more sacrifices. We are in a state of war and our sacrifices will lead to restoration of peace in the region,” he said.

Mr Hoti sympathised with the families of Ihsanullah Wazir and Israel Wazir over the deaths of two ANP leaders.