Sherpao ‘threatens’ government over negligence

Warns of agitation if tasks not completed before 2018 general elections

SHABQADAR: Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Provincial Chairman Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao has threatened to launch a movement against the government if it did not announce census results and merge the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) with the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) before the 2018 general elections.

“Before the 2018 general elections, the census results should be announced and Fata should be merged with K-P,” demanded the former provincial minister while addressing party workers at his home on Sunday, where a large number of workers of different parties also joined the QWP.

“The announcement of the census results is essential for distribution of resources among all units of the federation,” he said. “The merger is of vital importance for Fata as through the merger it will get its due share in development and overcome distrust developed among the masses.”



Sherpao threatened the government that his party would start a movement against it if their demands were not met, adding that the QWP would never compromise on Pakhtuns’ rights in the region.

Criticising the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led K-P government, Sherpao said, “The QWP has not been ousted from the K-P government over the Panamagate case, but due to fear among PTI ministers that the QWP ministers will outperform them.”

He said that Saturday’s suicide attack on security forces in Quetta proved that terrorists had once again returned to the region and to efface them a joint mechanism was required.

Sherpao welcomed Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s meeting with Afghan ambassador Omar Zakhilwal and termed it a move in the right direction. He urged more such meetings to develop a joint strategy to counter terrorism on both sides of the border.