PTI leader admits ‘failures’ in K-P

Naeemul Haque blames centre for blocking funds

ABBOTABAD: In a rare admission, a senior leader of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf noted that their government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa had failed to fully carry out its agenda and needed more time to bring all the changes it desired.

In a meet-the-press event at the Abbottabad Press Club on Sunday, PTI’s Central Information Secretary Naeemul Haque conceded that nearly four years into their government, they were still receiving complaints of ignoring merit in appointments and corruption in government departments.

K-P govt fails to beautify Peshawar,adjoining area

“Our government spent two and half years on understanding the system and delivered to the best of its abilities. But for completely understanding and implementing PTI’s change agenda, the provincial government needs a further two years,” he said.

Haque added that the party required a further two years to completely understand the system and to carry out its manifesto promising change.

The PTI leader added that said their government in K-P had taken some revolutionary steps but failed to attract public attention since the media did not highlight them.

However, to complete their agenda, PTI would try to get re-elected in the upcoming general elections.

To a question about unfulfilled promises of development in the province, Haque laid the blame squarely at the feet of the federal government, accusing Islamabad of failing to pay Rs42 billion to K-P on account of gas royalties. He accused the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government of bearing a political grudge against PTI’s rule in K-P and underpaying royalties which ultimately slowed the pace of development in the province.

“The nation must strengthen the hands of Imran Khan since he was the only politician who can steer the country out of the prevailing crisis,” Haque said, adding that the PTI chief would soon start a nationwide public campaign.

To a question about Panama papers, he said that the nation was desperately looking towards the judiciary.



Haque further added that they were reviewing PTI’s manifesto to include some revolutionary steps such as free education up to Matric, free health facilities, a war against illiteracy and corruption and austerity.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 13^th, 2017.