Sherpao asks govt to start rebuilding ‘bruised’ K-P

Addresses condolence reference of recently killed QWP leader.

PESHAWAR: Former federal minister and chairman of the Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao told the government to get its act together and solve the turmoil faced by Pukhtuns. He was addressing a condolence reference of slain QWP leader Adalat Khan at the Peshawar Press Club on Sunday.

Adalat, a lawyer by profession, was killed in a roadside bomb explosion in Shoga, Buner last month. Participants of the reference paid homage to the slain leader’s efforts of bringing peace in the area.

Sherpao said the decade-old fight against militancy had not only cost thousands of precious Pukhtun lives but also completely shattered the province’s economy and basic infrastructure which was yet to be revived. “The federal government should show seriousness in the dialogue process to bring lasting peace in the area and announce special packages for the revival of Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa (K-P),” said Sherpao.

Talking about the recent internal security policy formulated by the federal government, Sherpao said there should be no indiscriminate operations and the first priority should be protecting innocent people, who, he said, are more vulnerable to airstrikes. He said the influx of refugees will further worsen the province’s internal situation.

“There should be a protective policy which should be formulated by taking all the stakeholders, including senior politicians, bureaucrats and locals, into confidence so as to avert human and material damage,” said Sherpao.

He added peace committees that had been established by the previous government for improving security were ineffective as they were neither provided financial nor any moral support to cope with threats from militants due to which committee members were being killed one by one.

Lashing out at the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led government, the QWP chief said, “There is a clear contradiction between the policies of the federal and provincial government. Our provincial government cannot even openly condemn militant attacks.”

He said the Parliament should be kept informed about the progress being made in the negotiations as well as on the recently announced one-month ceasefire.  Sherpao strongly criticised the sit-in against Nato supplies by the PTI-led government and said, “It has only damaged the cause of Pukhtuns and was even declared illegal by the Peshawar High Court.”

He said the dialogue process is now dependent on the government’s seriousness towards solving issues faced by Pukhtuns.

“The government should ensure that children of martyred FC, levies and other security forces personnel are provided jobs along with compensation for their families,” said Sherpao. Forces can get demoralised in such situations which can result in a complete breakdown of law and order, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 3^rd, 2014.