In the loop: Khattak to meet PM on Tuesday

Discussion on Taliban negotiations, PESCO on agenda.

PESHAWAR: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister (CM) Pervez Khattak said he will meet Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday to discuss the Taliban negotiations with him and to give him a detailed briefing on law and order, provincial resources, hydropower projects, net profit on electricity, and other matters.

Talking to the media in Nowshera, the CM said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government had taken a clear stand on drone attacks and had compelled the United States to stop Nato supply through K-P. He lauded the provincial government and Imran Khan for their unequivocal stand and criticised Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman of going to every length to gain political power.



The CM said preparations regarding the handover of Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) have been made, and he will further discuss the matter with the PM. Khattak expressed hope that the PM would act in national interest and prove that he is not the PM of Punjab only, but the whole country.

Khattak said the all parties’ conference had unanimously given complete authority to the centre for holding negotiations with the Taliban, and questioned why the federal government has delayed the next step for so long. The CM said his government would do anything for the sake of peace and would fully support the federal government if they showed seriousness in negotiations. He added that K-P should be kept in the loop as terrorism directly affects its people.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 27^th, 2014.