In a landmark decision, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, has approved life insurance for all citizens of the province, along with seven other ambitious projects. The cabinet meeting saw the green light for initiatives aimed at improving social welfare, trade, tourism, and infrastructure, with a target completion date of 2027.
The life insurance scheme, a significant addition to KP’s social security measures, will provide Rs. 0.5 to 1 million to the families of deceased heads of households. This insurance, along with the existing health-card scheme, will be managed by the newly established Islamic Takaful Insurance Company.
Major Flagship Projects
Among the approved projects is the Peshawar-Dera Ismail Khan Motorway, a 365-kilometer trade corridor connecting KP with Punjab and Balochistan. Expected to enhance trade with Afghanistan and Central Asia, this project includes a trade hub at the Torkham border and a freight railway service from Peshawar to Torkham.
Additionally, a 120-kilometer transmission line from Swat to Chakdara will facilitate affordable electricity from hydropower plants to local industries, with projected annual revenue of Rs. 54 billion.
The solarisation scheme will equip 65,000 low-income families with solar units at no cost, and another 65,000 households will access solar units on easy installments, shifting government buildings to solar energy.
Tourism and Debt Management Initiatives
A home-stay tourism program will offer loans to residents in tourist areas, enabling them to provide accommodation to travelers, while a debt management fund will make KP the first province to establish a financial reserve for debt repayment and project funding.
Chief Minister Gandapur emphasized that these projects aim to transform KP into a hub of trade and tourism while fostering financial self-sufficiency and social security.
