An august September: Four days left for change, says chief minister

Warns of taking action against functionaries over corruption, negligence of duties.

PESHAWAR:

With the much-hyped 90-day ‘deadline’ of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) just a few days away, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on Monday issued a fresh reminder of the ultimatum for ‘change’.

“The target deadline of August 31 for replacing the old system of ruling has been left with only four days,” said the chief executive in an official handout. He added the heads of concerned departments should know there would be no place for government functionaries who deviate from their duties, create hurdles in serving the masses, or are the cause of complaints.

Speaking to elders in Swat after the inauguration ceremony of a basic health unit (BHU) at Fatehpur earlier, Khattak urged officials to put their respective departments in order. “Action will be taken and exemplary punishment given after the deadline expires,” he warned.

“The incumbent government is facing various kinds of challenges, but it has the capacity to put the province on the path of sustainable development and to make K-P a welfare unit of the federation,” he added.

“We have set such high goals of governance for ourselves that it is no longer possible for those integrated with the old system to deliver,” the chief minister said while criticising the previous Awami National Party-led government’s performance.

Khattak asked people to inform the government of any gaps or shortcomings in welfare programmes for people. “We consider corruption, malpractice and the culture of nepotism as killers of development in the province,” he said, claiming his government wanted to replace a “hollow” system with one based on merit and justice.

“Change has to come and it cannot be thwarted now on the wishes of a few people who do not share the common man’s desire of betterment,” he said, urging people to approach the complaint cell set up at Chief Minister’s Secretariat, Peshawar.

Provincial assembly members took oath on May 29 while the chief minister took oath for his office a couple of days later. The provincial government’s short tenure has already been punctuated by bloodshed and militancy; two provincial lawmakers have been killed, several policemen have been gunned down and a brazen jailbreak has taken place under its watch so far.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 27^th, 2013.