Peshawar Division

Peshawar | ReNews Pakistan
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has announced its financing plan for the proposed Peshawar to Dera Ismail Khan Motorway, a 360 kilometre infrastructure project aimed at strengthening transport connectivity between the northern and southern regions of the province.
According to KP Finance Adviser Muzzammil Aslam, the provincial government intends to finance the project through its own budgetary resources, supported by fiscal discipline, better financial planning and improved resource management.
He said the government has completed initial groundwork for the motorway and is preparing to allocate funds in different phases. The estimated initial funding requirement for the project is between Rs 200 billion and Rs 250 billion.
The finance adviser said the financing strategy is based on internal resource mobilisation, with the provincial government seeking to reduce dependence on external borrowing for major development projects. He added that improved financial management would allow the province to move ahead with large scale infrastructure schemes in a more structured manner.
The Peshawar to Dera Ismail Khan Motorway is being planned as one of the key road connectivity projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Officials believe the motorway will improve travel between major districts, support trade movement and provide better access to remote and developing areas of the province.
The project is also expected to play an important role in linking southern districts with the provincial capital and other economic centres. Improved road infrastructure could help reduce travel time, facilitate passenger movement and support commercial activity across the region.
Officials said the motorway is expected to be developed in multiple phases, with construction and funding to be carried out under a structured development framework.
The government plans to use provincial resources for different portions of the project while maintaining control over expenditure and implementation priorities.
The KP government has also indicated that more large scale infrastructure projects may be launched in the coming months as part of its wider development agenda.
Officials said the focus would remain on projects that improve connectivity, strengthen local economies and support balanced regional development across the province.
The proposed motorway is being seen as a major step in the province’s long term infrastructure planning, particularly for improving links between Peshawar, southern KP and adjoining regions.

Peshawar: [ReNews Pakistan]
The Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has intensified its property tax recovery campaign in Peshawar, launching enforcement operations against major defaulters while also holding consultations with industrial stakeholders to address taxation related concerns.
According to official details, targeted recovery actions were carried out against prominent property tax defaulters under the supervision of Excise and Taxation Officer ETO VI Peshawar Aijaz Anwar. During the operation, several units that had failed to clear outstanding dues were sealed, while final notices were issued to banks and other major defaulters for the recovery of pending property taxes.
Officials said the department had already issued repeated notices to defaulters before taking enforcement action. They added that sealing operations were carried out only against units that continued to ignore legal requirements and failed to deposit their dues within the prescribed time.
In a separate operation, another team led by ETO II Peshawar Tauseef Khan, along with Assistant Excise and Taxation Officers Nasir Mehmood Khan and Zar Ali Khan, also conducted recovery actions in different areas. Several non compliant units were sealed during the campaign after they failed to respond to repeated tax recovery notices.
The Excise Department urged property owners and business operators to ensure timely payment of property taxes in order to avoid legal action, sealing of premises and operational disruption. Officials said the recovery drive would continue against defaulters in accordance with the law.
Alongside the enforcement campaign, the department also engaged with the industrial community to resolve taxation issues through consultation. A meeting was held under the supervision of ETO III Peshawar Zahid Iqbal Khan with representatives of industrial associations, including President Ayub Zakori and Senior Vice President Haris Mufti.
During the meeting, industrial representatives raised different concerns related to tax matters and legal formalities. Officials said around 15 cases were resolved on the spot, a step that was welcomed by the participants. Industrial stakeholders expressed satisfaction over the department’s prompt response and cooperative approach.
The department also issued PT 10 challans to facilitate industrialists in completing legal and taxation requirements. Officials said such facilitation measures were aimed at improving compliance while reducing unnecessary delays for taxpayers.

Peshawar | ReNews Pakistan
The Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) has paid another Rs 677.7 million to the affectees of Harban in Upper Kohistan as compensation for land acquired for the construction of the Diamer Basha Dam Project.
The compensation cheques were distributed among the affected landowners through the Thor-Harban Grand Peace Jirga during a ceremony held at Bushi Das.
The ceremony was attended by General Manager and Project Director Diamer Basha Dam Project Engr. Dr. Nazakat Hussain, Deputy Commissioner Upper Kohistan Aziz Ullah Jan, Deputy Commissioner Diamer Lt Muhammad Awais Abbasi (retd), members of the Thor-Harban Grand Peace Jirga, local elders from Harban and Basha, and senior officials of the district administrations, police and WAPDA.
According to officials, the latest payment is part of WAPDA’s ongoing compensation process for land and property acquired for the multi billion rupee Diamer Basha Dam Project.
The Thor-Harban Grand Peace Jirga had successfully resolved a longstanding boundary dispute in 2022 through negotiations between the tribes of Harban in Upper Kohistan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Thor in Diamer district of Gilgit Baltistan. The settlement paved the way for compensation payments to the affected landowners.
So far, WAPDA has disbursed more than Rs4.48 billion to the district administration of Upper Kohistan and over Rs 59.76 billion to the district administration of Diamer for land and property compensation. The total amount disbursed under land acquisition and property compensation for the Diamer Basha Dam Project has now reached Rs 64.24 billion.
Out of the total 35,924 acres of land required for the project, WAPDA has acquired 33,848 acres so far. This includes 32,428 acres in Gilgit Baltistan and 1,420 acres in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The Diamer Basha Dam is considered one of Pakistan’s most important water, food and energy security projects. The dam is being constructed by WAPDA on the River Indus and is designed to store 8.1 million acre feet of water.
After completion, the project will generate 4,500 megawatts of clean and affordable electricity. It will also help irrigate an additional 1.2 million acres of land and contribute around 18 billion units of low-cost electricity to the national grid every year.
Officials said the project will play a major role in strengthening Pakistan’s water storage capacity, supporting agriculture and improving the country’s long-term energy security.