From a position of strength: QWP considers coalition partnership

Sikandar Sherpao appointed party’s parliamentary leader.

PESHAWAR: Various political parties have approached the Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) to be a coalition partner in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s (K-P) next government.

However, the party has not yet decided if it will be part of the next government or which party it might set up house with, QWP Central General Secretary Anisa Zaib Tahir Khaili told journalists after the party’s parliamentary board meeting in Peshawar.

“As yet, we have not decided to enter a coalition with any party. However, we have been contacted by central leaders of the PML-N, JUI-F and PTI,” she said. “The parliamentary board gave party chief Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao full authority to decide who to partner with in the new K-P government.”

Khaili maintained the QWP set demands – in accordance with the party’s policies – which would have to be respected by any potential coalition partner.

These demands prominently include net hydel profit and other issues relating to provincial autonomy such as the ownership of K-P’s natural resources, she added.



“The party will constitute an oversight committee to keep check on our ministers and will independently investigate their involvement in any irregularities related to state affairs,” explained Khaili.

“The party will take adequate action against ministers who are found to be involved in corrupt activities.”

The general secretary also announced QWP provincial president and winning candidate from PK-21 Sikandar Sherpao would be the party’s leader in the provincial assembly.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 15^th, 2013.