File photo of CM Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak and PTI Chairman Imran Khan. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
Khattak, who represents the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, was missing from the flag hoisting ceremony held at Police Lines on August 14. This was the first ceremony being held under the PTI government.
As per standard procedure, chief minister (CM) was the chief guest at the main ceremony at police lines. However, just before the ceremony kicked off, it was learnt CM Pervez Khattak will not be attending the ceremony and Health Minister Shaukat Yousafzai and Information Minister Shah Farman will be presiding over the event instead.
The chief minister’s spokesperson said that he was in Islamabad to attend a meeting with United Nations (UN) General Secretary Ban Ki-moon so the health minister was asked to attend the flag hoisting ceremony instead.
Awami National Party (ANP) leader Zahid Khan, speaking outside the Senate, said that it was unfortunate that things that had never happened before were now happening since the PTI government took over.
He claimed that Khattak was not in Islamabad and had not woken up in the morning, which is why he had missed the ceremony.
COMMENTS (46)
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@Kinky: @Naveed Alam Khattak: @Teen Dabay Wala: @PakPower: @Bilal: Proving others wrong does not absolve you from your crimes ! I think this Independence Day was more a "Black Day' in KPK
Its not a motion by ANP, but more like a lose motion.
So! What was more important? Ban Ki-moon or Independence day?
Ofcourse during ANP's time Kpk was the most prosperous province with a 99% literacy rate, no suicide attacks and people from all over the world were lining to go to Peshawar which was the most popular tourist destination in the world and right after 11th may the PTI government with it's leader IK waved a magic wand and everything suddenly became how it is now
Dear moderator! Where is my comment? I urge honesty. Your job is to moderate the forum based on ET guidelines, not your political lineage.
The Chief Minister of KP was not sleeping but praying for his people as is his regular practice. Anybody blaming him for his absence at flag hoisting is committing blasphemy.
Oh and does tribune or any of PTI bashers care to mention that from today all State Run Hospitals in KPK would provide free Medical Treatment to public?
So many motions gets passed but non of them get a headline in ET.. But only the one against pti gets a high priority when even the issue is so lame that one feels ashamed in Even mentioning it.
It will be considered the most ridiculous adjournment motion of this year. As if we have resolved all other issues.
I was a great fan and ardent follower of IK. But since his part came to power in KP I have not seen ANY achievement. He was a great wind blower in election campaigns, but now seems to have retired. Talk is cheap and are people are simply gullable. I expected revolutionary changes and improvements in KP as soon as PTI took over. IK I think this is your last Sixer. Well done!!
PTI govt is proving to be a bunch of do-nothings.
there is no difference between ANP and PTI. when will people realise?.
lol - source of this news - ET - the voice of suppression and anti-PTI propaganda. Even if Khattak was sleeping that morning, ANP was sleeping for the last 5 years! Print this dear ET!
This shows the kind of hatred ANP have in their hearts for PTI... and the fact that they can't swallow PTI winning the elections.
someone ask ANP if it accepts Pakistan's existence
Participation in a flag hoisting is a procedural matter, not a substantive one. We should not gauge PTI's performance or intentions merely by one occasion.However, ANP has all legal and democratic rights to raise their voice on all forums to defy their political opponents.
ANP and JUI F never let go a situation or an event to criticize PTI Government.
There is an old saying '' Look busy do nothing ''. and this is exactly case with big mouths of this party. I think the health minister should have checked CM's health before attending any Independence Day celebrations.
Dirty Politics by ANP!!
billa paaji... didn't any one from the party hoist the flag??? Head of the government wasn't there implies that government doesn't respect National flag or the day, so throw them out... thats brilliant thought, man!!
Great talkers(IK) are not great doers...
@mohsin: "Flag hoisting ceremony is far more important then meeting with UN sec.General. Imran Khan has to do something with Khattak," . MA Jinnah sacked someone for refusing to salute the flag. History repeats itself....
They should also clearly specify do they have issue with CM's absence or him sleeping at home while ceremony was going on? If its the later one than ANP will surely be again at losing end as its very easy to prove for PTI that he was in Isb.
By the way what about the adjournment motion that ANP was to bring against IK conducting secretaries meeting in KPK? Having no say in any of the govt., ANP is left with nothing but all these silly gimmicks to be politically alive.
@ Muntazir
I can safely assume that you don’t live in KPK
Flag hoisting ceremony is far more important then meeting with UN sec.General. Imran Khan has to do something with Khattak,
* CM Khattak has been feel too much fear of Taliban so he not attend ceremony of Flak raising. It is real face of PTI now they want to join hand with Tahir Qadri for destablish the Govt due to total failure in KPK. *
What he was doing on this special occasion , Still CM not pinpoint the accused persons incident of DIK.. it seem that his administration is not so good and must be change voters mind in by election .
It is very sad that the CM kpk didn't attend the flag hoisting ceremony but what's worse is that ANP celebrated independence day in 2011 on 15th August. If you don't believe me Google it.
Attending this ceremony is not more important than meeting the UN guy and forming some sensible strategy for the province/country. When will we stop whining over all these idiotic issues and focus on the real ones!
Still not worse than this
maybe he was out negotiating with the Taliban or whatever they are called
even though I voted for PTI in Karachi and am staunch supporter, I must say, Khattak's performance is far below par in KP. Imran Khan will be better off in reviewing things in KP and decide on merit of things to safeguard PTI's place in the next elections.
I am not sure any more if PTI govt can be the best or not. IK promised corruption free KPK in first 90 days and I don't see anything related to that. His CM has been in news only for wrong purposes...
IK its time to do something or else you'll never get a chance to rule in KPK again!
Welcome to "naya Pakistan" !
Tabdeeli
Wah... These are the very ANP who were hoisting Afghan flag while inaugurating their plazas in Peshawar.
The chief minister’s spokesperson said that he was in Islamabad to attend a meeting with United Nations (UN) General Secretary Ban Ki-moon so the health minister was asked to attend the flag hoisting ceremony instead.
PTI and their never ending lame excuses never fail to amuse me. Some of their (we are not blind) followers also add another line to this that he met Ban Ki Moon to talk about the drone strikes. Should we assume that the parliamentarians who were in Islamabad could not have done this? Another one added "When KPK govt presented its stance stance in drones. Ban Ki Moon appologised live on TV instead of useless flag raising ceremony we should focus on constructive things. " So the flag hoisting ceremony is a useless ceremony to them. A party that doesn't appreciate 14th August ceremonies has no right to govern.
"Awami National Party (ANP) leader Zahid Khan, speaking outside the Senate, said that it was unfortunate that things that had never happened before were now happening since the PTI government took over", if that's the case then its better because Pakistan can only progress if things never that had never happened before are now happening e.g lesser corruption, education budget from 6-66bn, mobile courts, more funding for health sector and so on.
PTI guys, now defend this. all CMs attended the flag hoisting ceremonies in old pakistan but naya pakistan managed to get health minister only. in naya pakistan health minister + information minister = chief minister.
Attending Ceremony is not our issue........
He claimed that Khattak was not in Islamabad and had not woken up in the morning. Was Zahid Khan spying on CM's house?? Point to ponder!!
Is it only me or does this incident really seems like enormously childish? :)
The ridiculous ANP. Don't do nothing, let others do nothing.
Atleast ANP should not say anything against PTI led Govt, ANP had worst 5 years in past..