Khattak says KP uplift, prosperity top agenda

NOWSHERA/DIR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-Parliamentarians (PTIP) Chairman and former federal defence minister Pervez Khattak said on Tuesday that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa lagged behind in terms of development and prosperity as the previous governments had only done experiments on people and province in the past.

“Lawlessness, price-hike and unemployment are at peak. The rich are becoming richer and poor are becoming poorer due to flawed policies of previous rulers,” he said while speaking at the workers conventions in Pabbi and Akbarpura near here.

Khattak said that as the KP chief minister, he had launched several projects, including Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Rashakai Special Economic Zone (RSEZ), Azakhel Dry-port and other mega projects.

He said that his party would enter into electoral alliance and seat-to-seat adjustment with religious and political parties to grab maximum seats. He claimed that PTIP would sweep the upcoming elections with a thumping majority.

Pervez Khattak said that former prime minister Imran Khan was now a closed chapter and they were focused on the future to end the sense of deprivation among the masses.

Khattak blasted Imran Khan for his stubbornness and ego, which caused an immense harm to the nation and country.

He said that the nation had endured decades of plundering, which resulted in a severe economic crisis, for which he criticised Imran for hollow slogans of “new Pakistan” and “change”.

He added that he and former chief minister Mahmood Khan had served the people of the province in the true sense and his party would reap the fruit of their services in general elections slated for February 8, 2024.

“We were about to introduce food cards and education cards to facilitate the people but Imran Khan sent packing our government eight months before the constitutional term in KP because of his ego,” he said, adding that they did not want a confrontation with the state institutions.

Khattak said that Khawar Manika, the ex-husband of Bushra Bibi and now the spouse of former prime minister Imran Khan, had exposed the character of the latter during his recent interview.

Pervez Khattak also said that holding free and fair elections was the responsibility of the caretaker government and politicians should not make the polls controversial due to repeated calls for level playing field.

“I have many secrets in my heart and I will disclose them all at a proper time,” Pervez Khattak, the ex-confidante of Imran Khan, said.

Meanwhile, Pervez Khattak and ex-chief minister Mahmood Khan called on Pakistan Peoples Party leader and former minister Lal Muhammad Khan and invited him to join the PTIP.

Also, former caretaker provincial minister Shafiullah Khan and an ex-nazim have announced to join the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Parliamentarians (PTIP) in Upper Dir. Shafiullah Khan and ex-nazim of Barawal Ibrahim Khan met PTIP chief Pervez Khattak.

Former chief minister Mahmood Khan and former provincial minister Muzaffar Syed were also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Khattak said that he would sweep the elections in Nowshera district. He said that they had won all seats in Nowshera in 2013 and 2018. “We had won 70 per cent of the seats when I was with Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao,” he said, adding the people of Nowshera had given unprecedented love and respect to him.