The day the President of Pakistan signed the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, Qaumi Watan Party’s (QWP) Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chairman Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao said on Wednesday that the nation cannot afford to miss the opportunity to eradicate terrorism.
“The Peshawar tragedy has united the entire nation,” he told a meeting of QWP’s provincial cabinet at Watan Kor, the party’s
central secretariat.
The 21st Amendment would provide constitutional cover for the speedy trial of terrorism suspects, while an amendment to the Pakistan Army Act 1952 would allow military courts to try terrorists.
Sherpao said peace was a prerequisite for development. “It is important to take action against all militants without subscribing to the policy of discriminating between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ Taliban,” he added.
The QWP leader said over 50,000 people including children have been killed in acts of terrorism over the last decade. “The time has come to bring an end to the killing of innocent people. There are no more excuses,” he asserted.
The provincial chairman said QWP was committed to raising a voice for the prosperity of Pukhtuns. “They have been exposed to untold miseries over the last 12 years,” he said.
Sikandar Sherpao also slammed the provincial government, saying it did not bring any positive changes and failed to fulfil its promises to the people. “In its year-and-a-half rule, the provincial government hasn’t launched any uplift projects.”
He urged the government to resolve the problems of internally displaced persons. Sherpao said these families have rendered unprecedented sacrifices for the restoration of peace.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 8th, 2015.
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