People should ignore anti-merger propaganda: CM

Says resources and strategy in place for development of merged districts

PESHAWAR: Tribal people should ignore the anti-merger propaganda, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan told a public gathering in Wana held for the address of Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday.

CM Mahmood reiterated the commitment of his government to address the issues and mitigate the sufferings of the newly merged districts including South Waziristan, an official statement said.

According to the statement Mahmood said certain so-called Pashtun leaders were doing politics using the name of Pashtuns for their political gains which he added could not be sincere for the development of Pashtun nation.

“The people of newly merged districts should stay satisfied and turn a deaf ear to the anti-merger propaganda of the so called Pashtun politicians. The government of this province and the Prime Minister of Pakistan are also Pashtun and they are well aware about their issues. We took the responsibility and will ensure all out efforts to materialise the merger,” he added.

The chief minister said that certain so called Pashtun leaders were doing politics on the name of Pashtuns for vested interests and political gains but will never succeed because the politics on the name of Pashtun was over. The chief minister said that both the governments at provincial and federal level had already taken the responsibility to bring the newly merged districts into the national stream of development and prosperity. Huge amount of resources had already been allocated and a practicable developmental strategy had also been evolved for the purpose.

Mahmood said politics on the name of Pashtuns is far from reality and is based on a farce mind-set with no political future. He stated that so called Pashtun leaders should understand the fact that the present government belonged to Pashtuns and are committed to bring development and prosperity. He said that Imran Khan was the only political leader who always talked about the rights of people in erstwhile Fata.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 25^th, 2019.