Addressing a public gathering at Polo Ground in Chitral, he said the military operations could not contain militancy and terrorism and the government must initiate talks to resolve issues.

Criticising the provincial government’s lavish spending, he said the ANP-led setup spent Rs4.5 million on hoisting a national flag at the Jinnah Park in Peshawar. “The money could have been spent on a development project in the most under developed areas of the province,” the former interior minister said.

Aftab Sherpao blasted the government for not allocating proper funds for Lowari Tunnel. “The project suffered a delay as the PPP government is not sincere in completing the tunnel,” he added.

“Chitral is part of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the district should be given due importance,” he said, adding, several development projects were completed in the district during his tenure.

Speaking on the occasion, PPP-S district president Abdul Wali Khan asked the government to complete the Golen Gol Hydro Power Project and Lowari Tunnel projects in time to minimise the miseries of the people of Chitral.

Wali said the delay in completion work on Lawari Tunnel was creating unrest among the people. “We will launch protest movement if sufficient funds were not released for the project soon,” he added.

Many leaders and workers of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, ANP and PML-Q announced joining the PPP-S on the occasion.