Pakistan

Economic corridor: Khattak cautions against denying K-P its rights

Says PTI will set fire to the system if centre tries to cheat it over the mega-project

Our Correspondent May 25, 2015

K-P Chief Minister Pervez Khattak PHOTO ONLINE

MARDAN: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on Sunday warned his party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), will ‘set fire’ to the system if the province is denied benefits of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Speaking at a gathering organised to announce Umar Masoodur Rehman’s induction in the party, Khattak said protests for the rights of the province had started bearing long-term results. “We are progressing towards good governance.”

Citing examples to support his claims, he said laws like right to information and right to services had been promulgated. “Political involvement in police stations has stopped. FIRs can be registered online. Illegal cases cannot be registered.”

An MNA or even the chief minister does not have the authority to transfer a constable, he added.

Khattak said real change can be seen in K-P, while other provinces are deprived of it. “In K-P, one can see the supremacy of merit, transparency of institutions and appointments of honest officers.”

Real change will emerge through the local government elections for which Rs35 billion have been allocated and they would be spent through the local body representatives, added the CM. “People will get relief because of the great changes made in the education and health sectors.”

He said drastic improvements had been made in the education department. “Online attendance has started. Legal action has been taken against 5,000 officers and teachers over absenteeism.”

The province needs 25,000 more teachers, he added. “Ten thousand teachers have already been hired on merit. Shortage of teachers will be overcome during the current tenure of the provincial government.”

Talking about the ban on PTI chief Imran Khan addressing rallies, Khattak said his party had contacted the Election Commission of Pakistan. “Unfortunately, they haven’t responded yet.” (TRANSLATED BY ARSHAD SHAHEEN)

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2015.

COMMENTS (3)

Lakhkar Khan | 8 years ago | Reply @Common Pakistani: I assume you are referring to "same people" to Pakhtun in ANP. I agree with both, CM Khattak and ANP. As far as Kalabagh, dam, it was going to benefit only Punjab by the expense of 2 other provinces like KPK and Sindh. In a case of flood or any other disaster, these 2 provinces will be drowned. Example: 1. Tarbela Dam, located in KPK, generates the most hydro power in the country from which Punjab benefits the most. KPK which generates the power still have up to 18 hours of load shedding per day. Based in China corridor original plan, it should be going directly form China via KPK to Gwadr, Baluchistan . The ruling Punjabi party added 600KM extra to the plan just to benefit Punjab and omit major parts of KPK and Baluchistan. A better question is, why other provinces have to bare the brunt to benefit Punjab. Have we learned anything from the history (i.e.Bengladesh)? The ruling party of Punjab are the real greedy thieves. They have to be stopped from stealing others resources.

Common Pakistani | 8 years ago | Reply Same people (in different party) who blocked and didn’t allow Center to build Kalabagh Dam for trivial reason. “Set the country back decades but at least Punjabis couldn’t progress either.”

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