Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Provincial Chairman Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao. PHOTO: INP
“Pukhtuns on both sides of the border have faced difficult times for the last three and a half decades,” he said. “Over the years, Pukhtuns have been deprived because there is no leader who can understand and resolve their problems in an effective manner,” Sherpao said. “QWP has always stood up for the rights of the Pukhtuns on all platforms.”
The gathering was attended by a large number of former Awami National Party leaders from Buner who defected to QWP. Sherpao welcomed them into the party’s fold and vowed to resolve the plight of people in Buner and ensure a better life for them. “Moreover, we cannot forget the tribespeople of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas,” he said. “They have sacrificed a great deal for their country and we must support them through thick and thin.”
Blame game
Speaking to the media after the ceremony, Sherpao flayed the federal government for discriminating against
“smaller provinces”.
“The government is delaying the release of net hydel profit to the province,” he said. “This has negatively impacted the social and economic position of the Pukhtuns.”
According to Sherpao, the federal government should put an end to its “biased approach” towards Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
“The net hydel profit should be released as soon as possible,” he said. “This will allay the concerns of Pukhtuns.”
The QWP chairman also urged the government to take an initiative to implement the National Action Plan.
“Socio-economic development cannot take place unless peace is restored,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 8th, 2015.
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