Imran’s action against MPAs meant to hide corruption: Sherpao

PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Chairman Aftab Sherpao has said that by taking action against 20 MPAs on the charges of selling votes in Senate election, Imran Khan wanted to hide corruption of his party's government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Addressing a news conference after welcoming a delegation from Regi Lalma, headed by Falak Niaz, in his party at Watan Kor on Thursday, he said the PTI leaders could not deceive the nation by expelling members a few weeks before elections.

Sherpao observed that the PTI has still saved some people, whose names could surface with the passage of time with regards to horse-trading. Imran should have informed the nation as to who purchased his party's members and what would be the constitutional status of the senators, who later were elected chairman and deputy chairman Senate, he said.

"Imran had also allotted tickets to billionaires for Senate election, who have nothing to do with his party," he said, and questioned: "Why the mega project BRT was initiated during last days of his government. This is the only mega project, which has been started without any planning, and that was why changes are being made amidst construction work."

The QWP chairman said the merger of Fata with KP was the only solution and ensures their progress and end existing deprivations and exploitations among them. He said that Pakhtuns were the second largest population of the country and had rendered sacrifices but they have not been compensated and rehabilitated accordingly.

The QWP would struggle for redressing grievances of Pakhtuns so that they could play vital role in the national mainstream, he added. Sherpao said the merger of Fata with KP would strengthen voice of Pakhtuns and ensure their progress.

He demanded that the merger of the Fata with KP and the representation of the Fata in the provincial assembly should be done to overcome their problems. The QWP chief termed the demands of Pashtun Tahffuz Movement as genuine, saying they had been working for the rights of Pakhtuns. He demanded justice and action in the killing of Nqeebullah Mahsud. He said that by calling Rao Anwar a "brave boy", PPP leadership had caused concerns among others.

Criticising PTI leaders for making tall claims of change, he said that change was merely on papers, asking the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to probe the billion tree tsunami project. Regarding handing over 4,000 Pakistanis to foreign countries, Sherpao said that neither a single Pakistani had been handed over to any foreigners, nor his ministry was having any role in it.

He said the chairman of the missing person commission has later clarified his statement that the interior minister had no role in handing over Pakistanis to foreigners.