KP, Scotland agree on promotion of cooperation
The governments of Scotland and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have agreed on promotion of cooperation in different sectors including energy, health, IT, education, local governments, minerals and tourism. Consensus in this regard was developed during a detailed meeting between the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa delegation headed by KP Assembly Speaker, Asad Qaiser with the Scottish Chief Minister Nicola Sturgen and Speaker Madam Terisa Marvic.
A delegation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is presently on the visit of Scotland. The delegation is comprised of Senior Ministers, Shahram Khan Tarakai, Inayatullah Khan, Parliamentary Secretary, Dr. Haider Ali, Education Minister Mohammad Atif Khan, Mineral Minister, Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli and MPAs Sardar Aurangzeb Nalotha and Nighat Orakzai. On this occasion, the Scottish Chief Minister appointed his Minister for External Affairs, Hamza Yousaf as focal person for further promotion of cooperation with working groups of different KP departments. During the meeting it was also decided to declare Peshawar and Edinburgh as sisters cities and initial process in this regard was started with immediate effect and work on all formalities was formally initiated.
During the meeting, the Scottish Chief Minister and Madam Speaker strongly condemned terrorist attack on Bacha Khan University, Charsadda and observed one minute silence over the tragedy. The Scottish Chief Minister and Speaker acknowledged the matchless sacrifices of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the war against terrorism. The meeting also stressed the need of the exchange of delegations and remained highly successful. On this occasion, the parliamentary delegation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa headed Speaker Asad Qaiser also visited the parliament of Scotland and expressed deep interest in it.
Meanwhile, Chairman, KPCCI Standing Committee on Railways and Dry Port and Frontier Customs Agents Group (FCAG), Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi has assured all possible cooperation to Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in connections with the establishment of Azakhel Dry Port. He was briefing the Chief Collector (North) Sarwat Tahira Habib during her visit to Azakhel to review the establishment of the proposed Azakhel Dry Port at Azakhel the other day.
Others who accompanied the Chief Collector were included Collector, Customs, Peshawar, Qurban Ali Khan, Additional Collector, Chief Collectorate, Islamabad, Ayesha Wani, Additional Collector Customs, Peshawar, Fazal Samad, Deputy Collector, Dry Port, Zakir Mohammad Khan, Deputy Collector, Adeem Khan, Deputy Collector, Anti-Smuggling, Ali Asad, Superintendent, Dry Port, Aziz-urRehman Khattak and other senior officials of Pakistan Customs.
He welcomed the decision of the Collector Customs, Peshawar, Qurban Ali Khan regarding the operationalizing of Azakhel Dry Port. However, he said that the Customs Agents will be ready for it after the provision of all kind of facilities at Azakhel Dry Port. He said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was bestowed with natural resources and the largest number of the industries of marble, gems, handicrafts, furniture, honey, herbs, carpet and matches are in the province and facilities were provided in the existing dry port then these goods will be exported from it. He said that the establishment of Azakhel Dry Port was the long standing demand of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Frontier Customs Group and urged the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to come forward and talk to Pakistan Railways in effective manner and beside provision of facilities at Azakhel also start the clearance of Afghan Transit Trade from the same dry port and not only earn large scale revenue for Pakistan Railways, but also for the FBR.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Collector (North) Sarwat Tahira Habib appreciated the briefing of Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi regarding taking of practical steps for the establishment of dry port and problems faced by the importers and exporters. She while agreeing with his proposals said that the FBR is ready to issue notification for the establishment of the proposed Azakhel Dry Port Customs Station.