ISLAMABAD, Nov.18: China intends to help Pakistan constructing 58 schools and 30 hospitals in the tribal regions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province (KPK) during the next three to four years.

The social sector’s projects particularly in the less-developed regions will get top priority in the second phase of the CPEC, reports Gwadar Pro media Net on Monday, quoting official sources.

In order to enhance the socio-economic activities, the highway would be connected with the CPEC’s northern route, N-45, in Timergara area of Lower Dir district, while on the other hand, it would touch N-45 of the Western Corridor in Zhob district of Baluchistan.

According to the sources, if need arises, the highway running through entire length of merged districts of KPK might be used as alternative route of the CPEC.

The governments of the two countries are already working on a comprehensive plan, linking Quetta, Chaman to Gwadar and Peshawar to Kabul and onwards to Kazakhstan through railway tracks.

With the support of the Chinese government, the federal and provincial governments are initiating massive development projects for the tribal districts, thus enabling the tribesmen to get education and jobs and ensuring durable peace in the process by tying their feet to the ground.

As a step forward, the KPK’s Chief Minister Mahmood Khan recently inaugurated six projects in Bajaur District for the tribal districts under the Prime Minister’s National Agricultural Emergency Program.

The six projects include olive plantation and olive seeds for oil extraction, subsidized wheat seed, poultry and livestock distribution and milk chiller tanks for dairy business.

As per the national agriculture emergency program, Rs44.5 billion will be spent for the development of agriculture, livestock, fisheries and irrigation sectors in K-P during the next four years.

Earlier this year the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government also considered a proposal to build a major highway to connect all seven merged tribal districts at the whopping cost of Rs70 billion.

It has also been decided to construct the high-speed highway to interlink all seven tribal districts.

INP/JAVED