Peshawar | ReNews Pakistan
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has announced a comprehensive development package worth more than Rs 206 billion for Hazara Division, unveiling 160 development projects under the Khushhal Hazara Programme as part of the Khushhal Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Budget 2026 27.
According to official budget documents, the development initiative will be implemented across all districts of Hazara Division and covers nearly 22 key sectors, making it one of the largest regional development programmes introduced by the provincial government in the current fiscal year.
The package includes a wide range of projects focused on improving road infrastructure, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, irrigation systems, tourism infrastructure, energy projects, urban development, clean drinking water supply, sanitation, and other essential public services. The government believes these investments will significantly improve the quality of life for residents while addressing long-standing infrastructure and service delivery gaps across the region.
Officials said the programme has been designed to stimulate economic activity by creating employment opportunities during both the construction and operational phases of the projects. They added that enhanced infrastructure and improved public services are expected to attract private investment, strengthen tourism, facilitate trade, and support sustainable economic growth throughout Hazara Division.
The provincial government stated that the Khushhal Hazara Programme reflects its commitment to ensuring balanced regional development by allocating substantial resources to underdeveloped and strategically important areas. The initiative aims to reduce regional disparities while accelerating socio-economic progress across the division.
Once implemented, the development projects are expected to strengthen connectivity, improve access to quality healthcare and education, expand basic civic amenities, and enhance the overall development landscape of Hazara Division, contributing to the province's broader vision of inclusive and sustainable growth under the 2026 27 budget.

Peshawar: [ReNews Pakistan]
The Peshawar Safe City Project has formally integrated the surveillance camera network of the city's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system into its central monitoring platform following the signing of a cooperation agreement with TransPeshawar. The move is aimed at strengthening public safety, improving urban surveillance and enabling a quicker response to security incidents across the provincial capital.
The agreement was signed at the headquarters of the Peshawar Safe City Project, establishing a framework for technical collaboration between the two organizations. Under the arrangement, live video feeds from surveillance cameras installed at BRT stations have been connected to the Safe City command and control system, significantly expanding the reach of the city's security infrastructure.
Officials described the integration as a major step towards creating a more coordinated and technology driven public safety network. By allowing real time access to camera footage from BRT stations, authorities expect to improve monitoring of public transport facilities, enhance situational awareness and enable law enforcement agencies to respond more rapidly to emergencies, criminal activity and other public safety incidents.
The expanded surveillance network is expected to support more effective traffic management, crowd monitoring and incident investigation while improving the security of thousands of passengers who use the BRT system every day. Officials said the collaboration demonstrates the government's commitment to using modern technology to enhance urban security and public service delivery.
Authorities added that closer coordination between the Safe City Project and TransPeshawar will facilitate more efficient information sharing and operational planning, contributing to a safer and more secure environment for commuters and residents throughout Peshawar.

Peshawar | ReNews Pakistan
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has directed all relevant departments to ensure visible progress on the Karak Salt and Gypsum City project within the next three months, describing the initiative as one of the province's most strategically significant industrial development projects.
The directive was issued during a high level meeting held to review development priorities, governance, law and order, and public service delivery across the Kohat Division. The meeting focused on accelerating key infrastructure projects, improving administrative performance and ensuring that development initiatives deliver tangible benefits to local communities.
According to an official statement, the chief minister expressed concern over delays in the implementation of the Karak Salt and Gypsum City project and instructed authorities to remove administrative bottlenecks and speed up execution. He emphasised that the project has the potential to significantly increase provincial revenues, promote industrial investment, add value to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's abundant mineral resources and create substantial employment opportunities for residents of the region.
Afridi said the province must fully utilise its natural resource potential through timely development of industrial zones and value added industries, adding that measurable progress on the Karak project should be visible within the next quarter.
During the meeting, the chief minister also formally launched a new system of divisional performance review meetings following the approval of the provincial budget. He said the initiative is intended to strengthen monitoring of government departments, improve accountability and ensure that development projects are completed on schedule.
He directed all departments to prioritise projects with the greatest public impact and instructed officials to make development schemes that are nearing completion operational without unnecessary delays so that citizens can begin benefiting from public investment.
Reviewing the health sector, Afridi ordered authorities to accelerate implementation of the District Headquarters Hospitals Revamping Programme to improve healthcare infrastructure and service quality across the province. He also directed immediate disciplinary action against staff found absent from duty during inspections at a district hospital in Hangu, reiterating that negligence and absenteeism in public health institutions would not be tolerated.
The chief minister further instructed officials to prepare a comprehensive inventory of major pending public sector development projects across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said the list would help the provincial government identify priority schemes, allocate resources more effectively and ensure their timely completion.
The meeting reflects the provincial government's renewed focus on accelerating industrial development, strengthening governance, improving healthcare services and enhancing the overall efficiency of public sector project implementation following the approval of the 2026 27 provincial budget.