The QWP leader said over 50,000 Pukhtuns had lost their lives in the fight against militancy. PHOTO: INP
Addressing a gathering on Friday held at Sherpao village in Charsadda to review preparations for the 40th death anniversary of former Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) governor Hayat Muhammad Khan Sherpao, he urged the government to treat Pukhtuns with dignity and respect. He asked the government to compensate them for the sacrifices they have made and challenges they have faced over the last two decades.
The QWP leader said over 50,000 Pukhtuns had lost their lives in the fight against militancy.
“Many others have lost their home and hearth,” he said. “Terrorism has forced many Pukhtuns to live under harsh conditions in camps. However, the government has ignored their plight.”
According to Sherpao, the government had put militancy on the backburner for a very long time. “The Army Public School reawakened the conscience of the entire world,” he said. “The fight against militancy has once again become a priority.”
The QWP leader pressed the federal government to implement the National Action Plan in letter and spirit. “There is no room for any inefficiency or a lax attitude in this regard,” he added.
Blame game
Sherpao took a swipe at the provincial government for casting a blind eye to the problems which plague the province.
“This is the first-ever government in K-P’s history which was preoccupied with protests rather than working for the welfare of its people,” he said.
The QWP leader also criticised the government for failing to prioritise the rights of the people of K-P.
“Diversion in the route of the multi billion dollar Gwadar-Kashgar economic corridor to Sindh and Punjab was a great injustice to the people of the province,” Sherpao said. “The original plan should be restored to redress the grievances of the people.”
Published in The Express Tribune, January 31st, 2015.
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