By: Junaid Toru
The meeting was attended by committee members Mian Sharafat, Abdul Salam, Riaz Khan, Arbab Usman, Mehboob Sher, Taj Mohammad Tarand, senior officials from the Department of Energy Department, PEDO, Law Department, and Provincial Assembly. Relevant officials from PEDO gave a detailed briefing on completion of small hydropower projects in District Dir, transmission line, and the conversion of mosques, schools, and government buildings to solar energy. PEDO’s Solar Project Director, Asfandyar Khan , informed the committee that 8,000 schools of Settled districts have already been converted to solar energy. Similarly, BHUs, other healthcare facilities, and government buildings have also successfully been solarized. Additionally, Solarization of KP Assembly building and MPA hostel included in Annual Development Program for the year 2025-26. In the first phase 4,000 mosques have already been converted into solar energ, while work on converting 5,000 more mosques in the second phase is underway. The committee was further informed that 900 mosques in the merged districts have also been solarized, with further work continuing in this regard.
To ensure the installation of quality equipment in the solarization project, agreements have been signed with the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) and PCSIR. Officials from the Department of Energy informed the committee that the provincial government is laying a 40-kilometer transmission line from Matiltan Kalam to Bahrain, which will be extended to Chakdara. Committee Chairman Daud Shah termed the solarization projects as highly important and directed that work on them be expedited. He stated that the completion of these projects will provide significant relief and facilities to the public
