Drone strikes: Khattak asks Centre to come out with a clear policy

New K-P chief minister promises support if policy is in the province’s interest.

PESHAWAR:

Be it the issue of US drone strikes or the scourge of terrorism, the federal government should come out with a clear policy, says Pervaiz Khattak, the newly-elected chief minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

If the policy is in the interest of our province, the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and its allies will support or else we’ll protest it, Khattak told the house in a policy speech following his election as provincial chief minister on Friday.

“Had the PTI been in power at the Centre, the United States would have not been allowed to carry out drone strikes inside Pakistan,” he added.

Khattak’s remarks came a day after the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) rescinded their dialogue offer to the new government. The TTP was angered by the killing of its deputy chief Waliur Rehman in a US drone attack on Wednesday.

The PTI has been campaigning against the missile attacks by remotely driven US aircraft with the party chief leading a huge march to the edge of the Waziristan region against America’s deeply unpopular drone campaign in Pakistan’s tribal region.

Even before assuming power, the PTI spelled out its policy vis-à-vis the war on terror, saying that it would pursue dialogue with the TTP to restore peace to the strife-torn province. However, Waliur Rehman’s killing has apparently scuppered the nascent peace initiative.

Khattak admitted that tackling the fluid security situation and restoring peace in the province was the biggest challenge for the new administration. “The provincial government can control crime – but it cannot tackle terrorism on its own,” he said.

In his all-encompassing speech, Khattak outlined his administration’s plans about law and order, corruption, health, local government, job creation, education, and minorities and women issues. Undeterred by the multiplicity and gravity of problems, he promised to take all the challenges head-on.

“My party has already done its homework and we’ll start implementing our plans the day we assume our offices,” he added emphasising on the clarity of vision of his party.

Khattak said his administration would have a policy of zero-tolerance towards financial corruption which has become endemic over the past few years. “Government departments and officials should mend their ways. They have minted millions and billions of rupees – but this must end now,” he added.

The chief minister announced that his government would set up a powerful commission, which will hold all public office holders, including provincial lawmakers, chief minister and his cabinet members, accountable.

Earlier, the house elected Pervaiz Khattak as new chief minister with a heavy majority vote. Of the total 121 votes, he bagged 84, while his rival, JUI-F’s Maulana Attaur Rehman, secured 37 votes. PML-N candidate Waji-uz-Zaman Khan withdrew from the race in Khattak’s favour.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 1^st, 2013.