Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan Wednesday inaugurated Astro-Turf at historical Islamia College’s newly constructed hockey ground completed with a total of cost of Rs. 150 million.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would become the first province to have more than 15 Astro-Turfs across the province which add to boost overall hockey talent in the province, the Chief Minister said while talking to media men soon after inaugurating the Hockey Astro-Turf. He said along with this three more are nearing completion and will soon be inaugurated.
He also appreciated Directorate General Sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the excellent contributions in the promotion of sports in the province. He said Astro-Turfs have already been laid down in Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Kohat, Charsadda, Mardan and Islamia College while work on Parachinar, Kurram, Bajaur, Nowshera, Swat continued and was nearing to completion.
Lot of work is being done in sports activities, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan said, adding, Sports grounds are being prepared in different districts across the province and would be completed soon.
He said there was a demand for hockey Astro-Turf at Buner, Swat, and Malakand was the province during the logo and trophy unveiling ceremony.
He said speedy work on the construction of Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium and Hayatabad Cricket Stadium also continued and in the coming 5 to six months these two venues would be completed whereas it helps in bringing international cricket to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,
No matter how many foreign players come for international events, they will definitely come to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Peshawar district soon after completion of these two mega projects, the Chief Minister Mahmood Khan said.
Hayatabad is becoming an international standard cricket venue besides approval was also given for the construction of sports international standard cricket stadium as per with the requirement of the Pakistan Cricket Board and International Cricket Council at Kalam.
In a short span of eight months, four hockey Astro-Turf projects, including Islamia College, have been completed. The province is currently working on six other hockey Astro-turf Projects. There is complete peace in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the environment here is very conducive for tourism and sports, Mahmood Khan said.
The provincial government is taking serious steps to promote the national sport of hockey among other sports, the chief minister said. Unfortunately, the national game of hockey is in decline in the country, but the government is committed to revive this game, Mahmood Khan remarked.
For the first time in the history of the province, a hockey league is being organised, the chief minister said.
Before the PTI government, there were only two hockey Astro Turfs in the province, the Chief Minister said.
Four more hockey Astro Turf projects completed under PT government, Mahmood Khan said, adding work is underway on six hockey Astro Turf projects in the province. This time more than 2.7 million domestic and foreign tourists turned to the province, the Chief Minister said
Like tourism, we are taking steps to promote sports in the province, the Chief Minister said. “We are providing a healthy environment to our youth by promoting sports,” Mahmood Khan. He said, steps have been taken for ensuring availability of Sports grounds at Tehsil and Union Council levels, the Chief Minister said.
Before our government, there were only 69 sports grounds in the province and now we have 151 grounds constructed by our government, Mahmood Khan said.
He said millions of tourists came to Pakistan which made billions of rupees profit and that is good not only for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but for the people of this province. He said terrorists’ activities also happened in the US and other countries of the world but only the west labeled us.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan also visits different areas of Peshawar besides inaugurating the Astro-Turf at the Islamia College. The Chief Minister inaugurated Easy Justice Centers at Hayatabad Police Station. Easy Justice Centers have been initially set up in five police stations in Peshawar, the Chief Minister said. In the second phase of the project, these centers will be set up in 15 other police stations in Peshawar and in the next phase, the project will be extended to other districts of the province, the Chief Minister said.
The purpose of setting up justice facilitation centers is to provide better services to the police in the police stations, facilitate the access of the citizens to the police and promote people friendly policing, the Chief Minister told media men on this occasion. He said, the establishment of easy justice centers will radically change the traditional police culture. Among other facilities, separate desks for women, eunuchs and children will be set up in the Easy Justice Centers.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated the new office building of the Workers Welfare Board. The 8 kanal building has been constructed at a cost of Rs. 55 million. The Chief Minister also inaugurated Nasir Bagh Road. The project has been completed at a cost of Rs. 150 million. Moreover, the chief minister also paid visit to Hayatabad Police Station Peshawar and inaugurated the newly established ‘Asaan Insaaf Markaz’.
“Under the first phase of Asaan Insaaf Marakiz, four other police stations of the provincial metropolitan including University Town, Faqir Abad, Badhaber and Chamkani would also be converted into Asaan Insaaf Marakiz,” he said
Whereas in the second phase, the remaining twelve police stations of Peshawar would be transformed into Asaan Insaaf Marakiz, he added.
