F.P. Report
PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak pay a surprise visit to Peshawar Zoo at Rahatabad adjacent to University of Peshawar and inspected its various sections including canteen, washrooms, butterfly house, monkey house, camel house, ostrich house, deer house, leopard house, lion house and bear house. He also issued on the spot directives to the Zoo administration for continuing the process of improvement in Peshawar Zoo. Provincial Minister for Excise & Taxation Mian Jamsheduddin Kaka Khel, Minister Law Imtiaz Shahid Querashi and Chairman DDAC Peshawar Arbab Jehandad Khan also accompanied him on this occasion.
Pervez Khattak along with his cabinet members visited the Zoo in the same vehicle without any protocol. He queued the entry pass both and purchased the tickets by himself to enter the Zoo premises. He mixed with the zoo visitors on this occasion and acquainted himself of their problems. The children and their parents made selfies with him as well.
The Chief Minister was pleased that there was rush of visitors in the Zoo though it was not holiday. Similarly families from rest of the country including Multan and Faisalabad also visited the zoo. The officials told him on this occasion that interest of the people was increasing in Peshawar Zoo and number of visitors was soaring day by day.
Pervez Khattak said that he was visiting Peshawar Zoo due to some public complaints regarding health, hygiene, canteen food quality and beautification issues. He directed to ensure high standards of food stuff and hygiene in all canteens otherwise contracts of canteen holders should be cancelled on compromising the quality. He further directed the administration to continue the process of adding new species of wildlife before the arrival of some African wildlife including elephants, Zarafas and Zebras that he said would maintain the diversity and attract maximum visitors in the Zoo. Similarly he asked for foolproof arrangements of the looking after and fodder of the wildlife animals in the zoo so that its causalities could not occur in future.
The Chief Minister however expressed satisfaction that responsibility of the look after and food arrangements of the wildlife rested with the concerned contractors for one month after its arrival in the zoo. Similarly the breeding arrangements of the wildlife were also being made due to its addition in the zoo in couples that would tantamount to increasing its number in few months. Hence the loss of the deer that died recently in the zoo was born by the concerned contractor. He however directed for moving the SNE of 193 officials needed in the zoo, improving the parking facilities and spending income of the zoo on its betterment. Similarly he asked for exploiting the 3-G technology under Jungles Right to make the zoo more attractive for the visitors especially for the children and re-advertising the letter of interest for international companies in this regard.
Pervez Khattak said that Peshawar Zoo was matchless gift for the people of Peshawar and even entire province. He said that it would not only add to the environmental and aesthetic beautification, but would also become a symbol of peace and prosperity for the people of unrest and terror stricken province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said that this was the first Zoo of Pakistan that has been setup as per international parameters under a comprehensive master plan. He said that all other existing zoos in the country have been established under the old structures. He said that this zoo was unique and bigger than all other zoos expanding on a vast area of 29 acres of land whereas Lahore Zoo consisted on 23 acres only.
The Chief Minister said that provincial government was giving special attention to the environment sector from day first and our endeavors in this regard were globally acknowledged as well. He said that Billion Tree Tsunami Afforestation project also spoke of our tireless efforts in this regard. He said that the environment Department officials worked round the clock to achieve the tough target of planting one Billion trees in the province that was a record and earned good name for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa not only in the country but abroad too.
Furthermore CM visited Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar and enquired after the health of his ailing senior friend Khan Bahadar Tajul Mulk at Cardiac ICU of the hospital. Provincial Minister for Excise & Taxation Mian Jamsheduddin Kaka Khel, Minister Law Imtiaz Shahid Querashi and Chairman DDAC Peshawar Arbab Jehandad Khan also accompanied him on this occasion. The Chief Minister also inspected various sections of the hospital including the newly completed Cardiac ICU and operation Theater at Heart Hospice Home.
