Intra-party election: Sherpao elected QWP head for 4-year term

PESHAWAR: Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao was elected as the central Chairman of the Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) and Ahmad Nawaz Jadoon as General Secretary for a four-year term.

The election took place at Watan Kor, the main Secretariat of QWP, which was attended by members of the federal and provincial councils of the party. A large number of party workers from all over the province were also present on this occasion.

Haji Mohammad Ghufran was elected as Senior Vice-Chairman, Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli as Vice-Chairperson, Hashim Babar as Vice-Chairman, Tariq Ahamd Khan as Secretary Information, Hashim Raza Advocate as Joint Secretary, Mohammad Yousaf Khan as Coordinator Social Media and Hanif Shah as member Central Executive Committee.

Sardar Ahmad Nawaz Khan served as the Election Commissioner who supervised the intra-party election. Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao was elected as provincial Chairman of the QWP and Dr Farooq Afzal as General Secretary. The other newly elected provincial office-bearers included Asad Afridi as Senior Vice-Chairman, Faiza Rasheed, Prof Hameedur Rehaman, Syed Fayyaz Ali Shah, Baidar Hussain Shah, Mohammad Hashim Khan, Shamsher Khan were elected as Vice-Chairmen.

Akundzada Sikandar Zaman was elected as Secretary Finance, Dr Alam Yousfzai as Culture Secretary, Shakeel Waheedullah Khan as Secretary Information, Mehmoodul Islam Advocate as Deputy General Secretary, Mumtaz Khan Yousafzai as Media and Social Media Coordinator, Iftikhar Khan Zaida as Additional Secretary, Arshad Afridi as Additional Secretary Social Media.

Tania Gul Advocate, Engineer Yousaf Zaman, Amanullah Khan, Saeed Khan Bamkhel, Shadad Khan and Neelum Gigyani were elected as Joint Secretaries.

Later, speaking after getting elected as QWP Chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao thanked the members of the federal and provincial councils for reposing confidence in him and said he would not let them down.

Shedding light on the prevailing political situation in the country, he said that main challenge facing the government was to revive the economy. He said that poor law and order and political instability impacted the economy badly, therefore, efforts were needed to put the economy on the right track. He said that the QWP’s mandate was stolen in the 2018 general election, but the party continued working hard to help the Pakhtuns get their due rights. He recalled that his party was part of the Pakistan Democratic Movement that unmasked the conspiracy under which PTI leader Imran Khan’s government was installed. He said the caretaker government was supposed to ensure the holding of the free, fair and transparent general election, but it had indulged in non-issues. He said that caretaker government was not focusing on the holding of the election which was causing political and social uncertainty.

“Our party had suggested at the time of making the 18th Amendment to do away with the caretaker setup,” adding that under the original 1973 Constitution, there was no concept of installing the caretaker setup. He said that the ECP should be strengthened to conduct the polls.

He said that whichever political party formed the next government after the general election should amend the constitution and abolish the role of the caretakers in future. He cited the example of India, Bangladesh and other regional countries, where there was no role of the caretakers.

He said that ladla (blue-eyed person) was imposed on the country under a conspiracy. The QWP leader said that Imran Khan was ousted through the no-confidence movement to save the country from becoming bankrupt. He said the QWP believed in neo nationalism, which meant independence from clutches of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and multinational companies.

QWP provincial Chairman Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao also addressed the gathering. He urged the workers to convey the party’s message of peace, development and prosperity to every household. He said that the QWP would spare no effort to help the Pakhtuns get their due rights. He also demanded the provision of the level-playing field.