ANP slams Centre, K-P for ‘neglecting Fata reforms’

Says there are more pressing issues than the Panamagate case

PESHAWAR: Senior ANP leader Amir Haider Khan Hoti has criticised the federal and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) governments for “getting completely immersed” in the Panamagate case and “forgetting vital issues” including reforms in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).

“The federal and K-P governments have put reforms in Fata on the back burner. They are so immersed in the Panama leaks that no attention is being paid to the most important issues facing the country,” said Hoti, who is also a former K-P chief minister, in a press conference at Bacha Khan Markaz on Tuesday.

“All their energies are focused on Panama leaks… it seems like it is the only problem of the country. The ANP does not deny its importance but there are also a lot of other problems to address,” he said, mentioning other “burning issues” like the election reforms, the National Finance Awards, and the security situation of the region.



Flanked by other ANP leaders, the ex-KP CM reiterated his party’s demand for merging Fata with the K-P, arguing that “it is not only a natural part of the province but can be better administered by the provincial government.”

“The security situation in Fata is not so well and political leaders cannot visit all the areas. However, the ANP has constituted a committee to visit all areas of Fata and to discuss its future with youth and elders to create a consensus,” he said.

“The committee is comprised of Imran Afridi Ayaz Wazir, Nisar Mohmand, Shahi Khan and Gul Afzal Khan.”

Talking about the performance of the PTI-led K-P government, the ANP leader said no political party could remain in the government forever and asked the PTI to stop creating issues for the next government.

“The present government during its last year in office has started numerous new schemas which could not be completed in their tenure,” said Hoti.

He said dealing with these projects would be enough for the coming government as these projects would take almost their entire five years tenure to complete. “The next government will have its own priorities and will not be interested in following these projects.”



The former CM also claimed that the PTI was allocating much less than the actual cost of the projects and it would not be possible for the next government to complete them. “It will be a huge burden on the next government and the development plan of the province.”

He accused the K-P government of taking huge amount of loans. In this situation, he said, the next government would not be able to focus on providing health, education and other facilities but would have to return these loans.

“In the last four years, we have heard that education emergency is declared in the province, but it has not delivered results. The recent results of the matriculation exams show performance of the government schools and efforts of the PTI government,” he added.

Hoti also criticised the PTI government for inviting private-sector investment in the hydel sector. “Such investment is good”, but should not be made by compromising on the interests of the province.

“There are a number or hydel projects that were to be constructed as public-sector projects, but they have been handed over to the private sector. As a result, the province will get only water use charges and not the net hydel profits,” he added.