DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Tuesday commended the efforts of charitable organisations and philanthropists for their swift and sustained support to flood-hit communities in the region.

Speaking at a ceremony organised by the Faizan Global Relief Foundation (FGRF), the governor praised the foundation`s role in providing financial aid to 61 people, who were hit by 2022 floods.

Governor Kundi noted that Dera Ismail Khan was among the hardest-hit districts during the last major flooding in 2022, primarily due to flash floods originating from the Koh-i-Sulaiman range. He expressed gratitude to FGRF for stepping in during this critical time, and highlighted the need for community readiness,revealing that the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) had warned of potentially more severe flooding in the upcoming season.

`Preparedness and unity are vital,` he stressed, calling on communities and relief organisations to remain vigilant. He also lauded the role of Dawat-iIslami in social welfare and moral reform through its media outreach, calling such organisations `vital to the social fabric of the country.

In a media interaction following the event, the governor said Pakistan Peoples Party was advocating for salary and pension increases in line with inflation in the federal budget.

He criticised the KP government for failing to recommend key development projects for the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), particularly in southern districts.

He announced that the long-awaited Chashma Lift Canal project is set to be initiated by the end of the year, with the PPP laying its foundation stone. He also disclosed that land has been identified in Yarik and Giloti areas for the construc-tion of Dera Ismail Khan International Airport.

However, he accused the provincial government of creating obstacles to these major initiatives. `Despite resistance, these projects will be launched,` he asserted, pledging to continue his efforts for peace and progress across the province.

Governor Kundi expressed serious concern over the allocation and use of federal funds for the merged districts, claiming that Rs700 billion transferred to the provincial government never reached their intended beneficiaries. He also pointed to alleged corruption in solar energy projects, wheat procurement, health services, and municipal operations, alleging that Rs50 billion were embezzled in a single district. `No one else but the provincial ministers are raising figures on each other`s corruption,` he added.

Condemning the deteriorating law and order situation in the province, the governor accused the KP administration of failing to counter the growing threat of terrorism and allowing corrupt elements to flourish.