GARDEZ (SW): President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani on Sunday pledged to tighten security and swiftly execute pending mega development projects in Paktia province.
He said this during a trip to Gardez to console the friends and relatives of those who lost lives in the Wednesday attack on the police headquarters here.
The local government officials and civil society urged the President to take major steps towards ensuring peace and stability in the province. Shamim Khan Katawazi, the Paktia governor, said on the occasion that the province has been deprived of its due share in development in the past 14 years. They demanded deployment of additional troops in the districts, and fair share in mega development projects.
Shafiqullah Sahar, local civil society activist, said the Paktia residents endured all the discrimination and denial of justice and due rights, but did not raise voice against the system.
Ghani hailed the high-moral of the security forces, and noted that the Afghan Air Force is getting stronger day by day while the numbers of the Afghan Special Forces would be multiplied two-fold. He reiterated the pledges he made during the election campaign, and added Paktia would receive all benefits of a first-category province.
He announced Gardez would receive electricity in 40 days, major high-ways would be developed in due time and the province would have additional funds for 34 high schools. The President also promised to expedite work on the Gardez industrial park, Machalgo Dam and other mega development projects.
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