ABBOTTABAD: The federal government has approved the Sherwan Interchange project and allocated Rs3.5 billion in the national budget on the proposal of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Abbottabad, party leaders said during a press conference.
PPP leaders said that work on the project will begin after the budget is formally approved. They claimed the development marks a significant step for Abbottabad, which they described as a long-neglected city in the Hazara region.
PPP claims credit for development push
Speaking at the press conference, PPP Abbottabad General Secretary Iftikhar Khan and Women’s Wing General Secretary Romesh Saleem said the party has played a key role in initiating and pursuing mega development projects in the region.
They said that in the past, several development initiatives linked to PPP were “hijacked,” but vowed that such situations would not be allowed in the future.
The leaders also said Abbottabad has historically been deprived of infrastructure development, particularly motorway interchanges, adding that nearby districts received more access points compared to Abbottabad.
Political claims and development narrative
Iftikhar Khan said the PPP leadership, including former president Asif Ali Zardari, had contributed to launching major national projects, including CPEC. He added that current progress in Hazara reflects PPP’s continued efforts for regional development.
He also said the party’s district president Syed Saleem Shah had taken up the issue with federal authorities and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor, which led to the approval of the funding.
Law and order concerns raised
Speaking at the event, Romesh Saleem said Abbottabad remains underdeveloped and urged authorities to improve law and order, condemning recent incidents of violence in the city.
Other party officials, including Sheikh Nisar Ahmed, Sardar Muhammad Asif, Syed Tahir Hussain Shah, Naseer Janjua, and Qazi Shafiqur Rehman, also attended the briefing.
PPP leaders expressed confidence that continued development initiatives would strengthen the party’s presence in Hazara in the future.
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