President Asif Ali Zardari has said that South Korea would provide $78 million for the Malakand Tunnel Construction Project. He said that after completion of the project, the tunnel will provide the shortest route to the people of Dir, Malakand, Swat and adjacent areas and would also be an easy access to Central Asian states, providing the market access to the country.

The President said this while discussing recently concluded visit to Korea with Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf who called on the President at the Aiwan -e- Sadr on Thursday. Current situation and President''s recently concluded visit to Korea was discussed during the meeting.

The President discussed with the Prime Minister about his meeting with Korean President and his interaction with the business delegations of Korean companies during his visit to Korea. The President informed that among various investment pacts, an agreement was inked with Korea for construction of Malakand Tunnel in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which he said would usher in a new era of development in the province.

The Prime Minister congratulated the President for signing the agreement on construction of Malakand Tunnel. According to the sources, the President and Prime Minister also discussed the caretaker set-up and forthcoming elections in the country. They also discussed the current political as well as law and order situation in the country especially, in Karachi and Balochistan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2012