Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province

Dera Ismail Khan | ReNews Pakistan
Dera Ismail Khan International Airport is moving closer to reopening after remaining closed for nearly a decade, as rehabilitation and repair work at the facility enters its final stages.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi visited the airport on Friday to review progress on efforts aimed at restoring flight operations. The airport has been closed since 2015, affecting air connectivity for Dera Ismail Khan and surrounding areas.
During the visit, officials from the Pakistan Airports Authority briefed the governor on the status of rehabilitation work, operational preparedness and remaining requirements before commercial flights can resume. The briefing covered repair activity, runway condition, technical arrangements and other measures needed to make the airport functional again.
Speaking to reporters, Governor Kundi said runway carpeting had been completed and the remaining work would also be finalized soon. He said the airport could be made ready for operations once essential requirements, including equipment, staffing, safety assessments and audits, are completed.
The governor stressed that any shortage of machinery, technical equipment or staff should be addressed on priority so that flight operations can be restored in a safe and organized manner. He said all mandatory safety checks would have to be completed before commercial flights are allowed to resume.
Kundi expressed hope that commercial operations at Dera Ismail Khan International Airport would be restored soon. He said discussions would be held with South Air regarding potential flights to Dera Ismail Khan and Chitral, adding that other private airlines would also be encouraged to expand air services in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He said the restoration of flight operations would improve regional connectivity, support business activity and provide better travel facilities to residents of southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The reopening of the airport is also expected to benefit nearby districts that depend on Dera Ismail Khan as an important administrative and commercial centre.
The governor also shared details of the proposed Green Field International Airport project, which is planned to be developed on more than 1,700 acres. He said the proposed facility would have the capacity to handle more than one million passengers annually.
According to Kundi, a site near Yarik in Dera Ismail Khan remains the preferred location for the new airport. He described the location as the most suitable option for the wider region due to its accessibility and future development potential.
Separately, the governor announced that work on the dualization of the N 55 Dera Paroa Road would begin soon. He said the tendering process for the road project had already been completed, and construction activity would start in the near future.
Officials believe the rehabilitation of the existing airport, along with the proposed new airport and road development plans, could significantly improve transport infrastructure in Dera Ismail Khan and strengthen the region’s long term connectivity.

Peshawar | ReNews Pakistan
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has announced its financing plan for the proposed Peshawar to Dera Ismail Khan Motorway, a 360 kilometre infrastructure project aimed at strengthening transport connectivity between the northern and southern regions of the province.
According to KP Finance Adviser Muzzammil Aslam, the provincial government intends to finance the project through its own budgetary resources, supported by fiscal discipline, better financial planning and improved resource management.
He said the government has completed initial groundwork for the motorway and is preparing to allocate funds in different phases. The estimated initial funding requirement for the project is between Rs 200 billion and Rs 250 billion.
The finance adviser said the financing strategy is based on internal resource mobilisation, with the provincial government seeking to reduce dependence on external borrowing for major development projects. He added that improved financial management would allow the province to move ahead with large scale infrastructure schemes in a more structured manner.
The Peshawar to Dera Ismail Khan Motorway is being planned as one of the key road connectivity projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Officials believe the motorway will improve travel between major districts, support trade movement and provide better access to remote and developing areas of the province.
The project is also expected to play an important role in linking southern districts with the provincial capital and other economic centres. Improved road infrastructure could help reduce travel time, facilitate passenger movement and support commercial activity across the region.
Officials said the motorway is expected to be developed in multiple phases, with construction and funding to be carried out under a structured development framework.
The government plans to use provincial resources for different portions of the project while maintaining control over expenditure and implementation priorities.
The KP government has also indicated that more large scale infrastructure projects may be launched in the coming months as part of its wider development agenda.
Officials said the focus would remain on projects that improve connectivity, strengthen local economies and support balanced regional development across the province.
The proposed motorway is being seen as a major step in the province’s long term infrastructure planning, particularly for improving links between Peshawar, southern KP and adjoining regions.

Peshawar: [ReNews Pakistan]
The Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has intensified its property tax recovery campaign in Peshawar, launching enforcement operations against major defaulters while also holding consultations with industrial stakeholders to address taxation related concerns.
According to official details, targeted recovery actions were carried out against prominent property tax defaulters under the supervision of Excise and Taxation Officer ETO VI Peshawar Aijaz Anwar. During the operation, several units that had failed to clear outstanding dues were sealed, while final notices were issued to banks and other major defaulters for the recovery of pending property taxes.
Officials said the department had already issued repeated notices to defaulters before taking enforcement action. They added that sealing operations were carried out only against units that continued to ignore legal requirements and failed to deposit their dues within the prescribed time.
In a separate operation, another team led by ETO II Peshawar Tauseef Khan, along with Assistant Excise and Taxation Officers Nasir Mehmood Khan and Zar Ali Khan, also conducted recovery actions in different areas. Several non compliant units were sealed during the campaign after they failed to respond to repeated tax recovery notices.
The Excise Department urged property owners and business operators to ensure timely payment of property taxes in order to avoid legal action, sealing of premises and operational disruption. Officials said the recovery drive would continue against defaulters in accordance with the law.
Alongside the enforcement campaign, the department also engaged with the industrial community to resolve taxation issues through consultation. A meeting was held under the supervision of ETO III Peshawar Zahid Iqbal Khan with representatives of industrial associations, including President Ayub Zakori and Senior Vice President Haris Mufti.
During the meeting, industrial representatives raised different concerns related to tax matters and legal formalities. Officials said around 15 cases were resolved on the spot, a step that was welcomed by the participants. Industrial stakeholders expressed satisfaction over the department’s prompt response and cooperative approach.
The department also issued PT 10 challans to facilitate industrialists in completing legal and taxation requirements. Officials said such facilitation measures were aimed at improving compliance while reducing unnecessary delays for taxpayers.