KP-FATA merger to minimize problems of tribesmen: Sherpao

F.P. Report

CHARSADDA: Chairman Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao expressed satisfaction over the stance of (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa regarding the Fata-KP merger, saying that it is a goodwill gesture that the Army leadership favored the merger of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata). He said this after visiting the various ongoing developmental schemes in his constituency UC Katozai Bela no-4 Shabqadar distract Charsadda in his address to a public meeting.

He said that the Fata-KP merger would help to address the problems of the tribal people. He praised the statement of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa who favored the Fata-KP merger and his suggestion the consensus of all stakeholders on the future status on merger issue would be made as per the wishes of tribal people; as such dialogues would facilitate to settle down the issue.

“Tribal people rendered enormous sacrifices in the war against terrorism and the dividing line in the Pakhtun belt was affecting their unity in the country and the people of Fata are the equal citizens of the country but unfortunately they were not treated equally which was a great disservice to them” he added. He demanded the earlier merger of Fata with KP, so as that the people of the area could be given their representation in the provincial assembly.

“Confrontation among the institutions is not in the favor of the country and it could perturb the process of timely polls” he added. He said that the focus should be given to the preparations of general elections of 2018 as it would be helpful in the continuation of the democratic process and stability of the system. He regretted that the consensus of the main political parties had been ignored in the delimitation procedures, which would badly affect the will of the political parties in the upcoming election and it would ultimately increase the agonies of the masses as well. He said that the untimely act of the election commission is not in the good interests of the country and all the stakeholders should concentrate on the smooth conduction of general election process.

Mr. Sherpao said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is involved in widespread corruption while the chairman of PTI Imran Khan repeatedly accuses other political parties for corruption and his own ministers are involved in the same practice. He asked that the National Accountability Bureau should thoroughly investigate the serious charges of corruption against the ministers of the PTI to get back the looted precious wealth people.

He said the real face of PTI had been exposed as the people had seen that what had happened in the election of senate chairman and deputy chairman, as the PTI coalition with PPP was based on the politics of personal gains. He added that the provincial government was incapable and inefficient “The chairmen of several institutions have issued charge-sheet against the KP government,” he said. “But when their own Chief Minister and some ministers were found involved in corrupt practices, the powers of those institutions were curtailed through legislation,” he added.

Aftab Sherpao vowed to strive hard for the rights of pakhtuns so as to ensure their progress and development. He said that QWP had emerged as the lone voice for the rights of the oppressed strata that’s why the people mostly relied on it.

He continued that the public trust was more indicated due to its struggle for the welfare of the common men. He contended that QWP had taken up the cudgels of the masses while the people of the province.