Peshawar, Oct 27 (IANS): The Chinese government has approved construction of 58 schools in erstwhile Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), along with 30 hospitals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing has said.

"Our forefathers belong to the region now known as the northern areas of Pakistan. Hence it is our top priority to develop these areas," Jing said on Saturday while addressing a seminar here.

He underscored the need of peace and stability in the region so that Chinese firms execute dream project of linking Quetta, Chaman to Gwadar and Peshawar to Kabul and onwards to Kazakhstan through railway tracks, reports The Express Tribune.

Pakistan and China are working on 10 agriculture projects, Ambassador Jing said, urging Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to come up with proposals to establish the 10 agriculture labs in the country through Planning Commission and Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC).

Jing said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would play a vital role to make the CPEC dreams come true.

Peshawar would be the gateway to the central Asia in the region and in near future the rail tracks from Karachi to Peshawar would be upgraded along with the new rail systems, he added.

He also signed a cheque of 2 million Pakistani rupees for scholarships to students.

Addressing the gathering Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shah Farman called upon the HEIs to rise to the occasion to meet the global demand of mineral, agriculture and technology sectors.

He urged the Chinese Ambassador to give boost to value addition of local mineral industries through establishment of manufacturing and marketing labs at the raw material sites.