Electioneering: PTI leader lays into ANP, lays out party’s proposal

Says they are engaged in talks with JI for seat adjustments.

PESHAWAR: Blaming the incumbent provincial government on many counts, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) provincial president Asad Qaiser promised his party would provide relief to the masses if elected.

Speaking at ‘Guest Hour’ at the Peshawar Press Club on Thursday, the recently elected leader said though Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) is rich in water reservoirs, the Awami National Party (ANP)-led government did not build small dams to generate sufficient and cheap electricity during the last five years.

The deteriorating energy crisis has shut down the industrial sector, resulting in spiking unemployment, maintained Qaiser. “If small dams were constructed, the energy crisis would be under control,” he said. Qaiser said K-P has the potential to generate 4,500 megawatts of electricity, which he added, would be ample for consumption needs in the province.



The PTI leader also accused ANP of poor governance. “If the government established its writ, there would be law and order in K-P and Fata.”

Qaiser went on to add that incumbent leaders had failed on all fronts to provide relief to the masses – against militancy, price hikes and unemployment – during its tenure.

Detracting from pointing fingers to what sounded like the party’s election manifesto, the leader asserted: “To restore peace in the country, provide education and basic health facilities for all, and eliminate the energy crisis in the country will be the first priority of PTI.”

Qaiser promised if the PTI came to power, it would allocate 6% of the budget for education, and establish an education city in every district in K-P, providing equal opportunities to everyone. “The party would ensure basic health facilities and would establish hospitals like Shaukat Khanam in every province,” he added.

The PTI leader claimed if voted into power, his party “will quit the war on terror and restore peace in the country.”

Responding to a query, Qaiser said PTI intra-party elections in K-P were free and fair. He said PTI was in contact with Jamaat-e-Islami and other political parties, which do not have any corruption charges against them, for seat adjustments during the upcoming general elections.

“We will recover looted public money and will spend on public welfare if Imran Khan is voted into power.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 8^th, 2013.