Imran Khan says K-P councillors will be able to spend Rs42b on schools, dispensaries. PHOTO: AFP
“It is extremely embarrassing for all of us,” Imran said at a public meeting held in connection with the election campaign of Dr Raja Amir Zaman, PTI’s candidate for the NA-19 (Haripur) by-elections. “We should ask ourselves that if this had to happen, then why have we created Pakistan?”
A gang of 20 to 25 men is believed to have filmed as many as 400 video clips of sexual abuse involving at least 280 children belonging to Hussain Khan Wala village near Kasur. The PTI chief called for punishment for all those involved in the heinous crime.
He said his party had launched a revolution for change that had now culminated into transfer of power at grass root level through the local government elections. “Representatives at village council level will now be able to spend budget worth billions of rupees on people’s welfare.”
Imran said: “This system exists only in Europe, where the power lies with the people. Now Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has this system that the other provinces will be forced by the people to replicate.”
He said 42,000 councillors in K-P had been elected and would spend Rs42 billion in a year on schools, dispensaries and other basic facilities. “The chief minister will have no role in it.”
The PTI chairman said the Provincial Financial Commission would disburse funds at the village council level, adding that the system was introduced by his party. “Through legislation, the government will check corruption in institutions running under the local bodies.”
He said politicians publicising their development projects were violating people’s rights, because the money spent on a public welfare project comes from taxpayers. “Change comes through changes in the system, not from mere sloganeering.”
On the subject of by-polls in other provinces, Imran said the Punjab government would never transfer power to the people as the PTI did because the provincial administration believes in maintaining the status quo. “But K-P will soon inspire the youth of Sindh and Punjab to demand their rights.”
He claimed that the PTI was the only party that was committed to and capable of changing the system, “which is evident from the K-P’s police, revenue and other government departments”. He gave credit to the provincial government for “ending corruption and bringing reforms”.
Talking about the claim of holding transparent local government elections, the PTI chief said that unlike the common practice of the past, his party had “opted against using the police or other government department for manoeuvring”.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 10th, 2015.
COMMENTS (1)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ