CM accuses nationalists of dividing Pakhtuns for political gains

MIRANSHAH: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Saturday said the so-called Pakhtun political leaders were doing politics in the name of Pakhtuns and trying to pitch one Pakhtun against another in a bid to divide them for their political gains.

He was addressing a public gathering at the Younas Khan Stadium during his one-day visit to North Waziristan tribal district.

Federal Minister for Communication Murad Saeed, provincial Finance Minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra, Advisor to Chief Minister on Merged Districts and provincial government spokesperson Ajmal Wazir, MPA Malik Shah Muhammad Wazir and Advisor to Prime Minister Iftikhar Durrani accompanied the chief minister.

He said the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) voted for the nationalists in the past but they left behind a legacy of unprecedented loot and plunder. “Therefore, the people rejected their catchy slogans and voted against them in the July 2018 election,” he argued.

He said that being a resident of Swat district he had seen the devastation brought by militancy and the subsequent military operation in Malakand division.

He assured the gathering that the resources meant for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of erstwhile Fata would be strictly spent in the newly-merged districts.

The chief minister said that the affectees of acts of militancy and military operation who had migrated to Afghanistan would be brought back to their homes from across the border.

The PTI government would focus on education, health and infrastructure and would not leave the people of the ex-Fata at the mercy of others, he added.

He announced a development package of billions of rupees for the infrastructural development projects, rehabilitation and reconstruction, education, health and other sectors.

He said the development package would remove the apprehensions and reservations of the people of the newly-merged districts. He said he would work on the political, economic and development integration of the people of the former Fata.

“Our government is the government of the Pakhtuns and it knew better the real issues of the Pakhtuns. Certain so-called Pakhtun leaders wanted to deceive Pakhtuns,” he alleged.

He reminded the people about the misrule of the so-called Pakhtun political leadership in the past as it had delivered nothing while committing huge corruption.

“They installed SMS in the Chief Minister’s Secretariat to undertake corrupt practices and conduct shadowy dealings right under the nose of these so-called political leadership of Pakhtuns. Their misrule brought to an end their politics of deceit and the Pakhtuns got rid of them through ballot,” he maintained. The chief minister said that he knew the real issues and the problems of the people of erstwhile tribal areas because he belonged to the Pata which also saw militancy and the people had to bear the brunt of devastation. “Unfortunately, the resources meant for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of militancy-hit Malakand division were pocketed by the so-called Pakhtun leaders who were then in power,” he alleged.

“The people still do not know where the resources went. Now again the so-called Pakhtun political leadership is out to deceive the Pakhtuns but they knew them because of their misdeeds and misrule in the province. They are dividing the Pakhtuns. They wanted war-like situation, but they would never succeed because PTI introduced pro-people governance by bringing an end to the politics of loot and plunder,” he claimed.

He said the resources and the development packages pledged with the people by Prime Minister Imran Khan would be strictly spent for the benefit of the tribal people.

He said that he would personally monitor each and every penny being spent in the new districts.

Mahmood Khan said his government was fighting corruption and would take stern action against the corrupt practices.

He inaugurated the 3G, 4G service and the provision of Sehat Insaf Card for the people of tribal district under which each family would get free healthcare up to Rs700,000 plus Rs20,000 annually.

He said in the next visit he would inaugurate the cadet college, medical college and university along with some other development projects.

He also announced construction of 54-kilometre long road from Spinwam to Shewa. He also sanctioned Rs500,000 for the uniform of children of the primary school being run for displaced persons at the Bakakhel IDPs camp.