Maintaining law, order responsibility of KP govt

CHARSADDA: Central chairman of the Qaumi Watan Party Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao on Sunday said that maintaining law and order in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the responsibility of the provincial government.

Talking to reporters, he criticised the provincial government’s indifferent attitude towards the Kurram incident, saying that the chief minister went to Islamabad for the protest the very next day after the massacre in Kurram.

Sherpao urged the federal government to support the provincial government on the Kurram issue.

He said that the warring groups in Kurram and Parachinar had exhausted their ammunition and now the external forces were involved in the violent incidents. He claimed that foreign elements wanted to establish dominance in Kurram and Parachinar and foment hatred among the local residents.

Sherpao acknowledged that Pakistan’s allegations against Afghanistan had some valid reasons but stressed the need for both countries to sit together and resolve mutual issues.

To a question, he predicted that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s call for civil disobedience movement also doomed to fail like their protest on November 24.

He advised both the federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments to show flexibility on certain matters to maintain law and order in the province.

He also commented on the discussions at the All

Parties Conference (APC), which highlighted provincial rights and the responsibilities of the federal government.

He said that the PTI had received 3.7 million votes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa out of a population of over

40 million then why the rest of the Pashtuns should suffer due to the actions of this party.

He added that Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur should have taken the initiative to call an APC, as it was his responsibility.

Sherpao said that development projects and public service were no longer the main factors to grab more votes as the priorities and methods of vote-gaining had changed.

He pointed out that the younger generation votes based on slogans and social media narratives rather than tangible achievements. He also warned of the dangerous consequences of the ongoing situation in Syria.