Sherpao asks Centre to help out cash-strapped KP

PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao on Thursday asked the federal government to take steps for the financial stability of the cash-strapped Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

In a press release issued from Watan Kor, headquarters of QWP, he expressed concern over the poor financial position of KP and held the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government responsible for the prevailing state of affairs.

Aftab Sherpao said that the PTI ruled KP for nine years straight and left the province in dire financial straits. He said the province was facing a financial crunch due to the ill-conceived economic policies of the previous PTI government.

The QWP leader said that KP had fallen into huge debt owing to the flawed policies and bad governance of the PTI. Asking the federal government to help out KP, he said that the Centre should pay the outstanding arrears of the net hydel profit, gas and oil royalty to stabilise the provincial economy.

Aftab Sherpao said that it would amount to violation of the constitution if the federal government did not give the cash-strapped province its due rights and share. He also urged the caretaker provincial government to take up the issue with the federal government in order to secure funds for the province.

He said that the QWP would play its due role in helping the provincial government tackle the financial crunch, adding that he and other political leaders from the province had informed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif about the poor financial condition of the province and had asked for his help to cope with the prevailing situation.The QWP, he said, had raised its voice for the rights of the province at all forums and it would continue to safeguard the provincial rights.