SWABI: Pehur High Level Canal extension project, which was pushed into cold storage after Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf parted ways with Qaumi Watan Party in Nov 2013, has been rejuvenated and approved by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP), sources said.

They said that construction of the project would meet the longstanding demand of farmers of the district. They claimed that CM`s adviser Abdul Karim had played an active role to press the relevant quarters to expedite ef fortsfor approval of this project. They said that when QWP pulled out of the coalition with the ruling PTI no one was ready to hear a word about this project, considering it a QWP`s project.

However, the sources said that when the two parties entered into an alliance again and Mr Karim was nominated as CM`s adviser he resumed work on rejuvenation of the project, as on completion it would also irrigate the infertile land in his PK-34, Swabi-4, constituency.

They said that owing to the efforts of QWP, the PHLC extension project had been approved by CDWP recently. After completion, the project is expected to irrigate 225,000 kanals of barren land in the district.

The sources said that the project was expected to be completed in five and a half years by the Irrigation Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

They said that the Asian Development Bank would provide Rs10.2 billion for the projectwhich would irrigate the barren lands of Gajju Khan Baba, Panjpir, Shahmansoor, Kunda, Anbar, Chota Lahor, Jalsai and Jalbai areas in the district. When contacted, Mr Karim said the project became possible with the support of QWP chairman Aftab Sherpao and Chief Minister Pervez Khattak.

ELECT ROCUTED: A landlord of Topi tehsil, Faraz Khan, was electrocuted when he along with his other colleagues were catching fish in Topi Khwar with the help of electric current from a generator, said police.

They said Faraz Khan was electrocuted when he touched the live wire. Doctors at the local hospital later pronounced him dead.

Meanwhile, police claimed arresting two people in the murder case of Jehanzeb, who was killed eight days ago in Tandkoi village. They said that the suspects, identified as Yusuf Khan and Mohammad Din, belonged to Swat.