PESHAWAR: In his first press conference held after a long time due to the coronavirus, Awami National Party (ANP) provincial president Aimal Wali Khan on Monday presented several demands to the government including the transfer of powers to the elected representatives in the merged districts. Talking to reporters after the party provincial chapter office-bearers meeting at the Bacha Khan Markaz here on Monday, Aimal Wali Khan said that the government has yet to hand over power to civil administration in the merged districts. He said that development schemes were being launched under the watch of elected members across the country but the members from merged districts were not given that authority.
The ANP leader criticized the government for failing to fulfill the promise of releasing Rs 100 billion annually for the development of merged districts. “The merged districts were receiving much less than the promised amount, he added. He asked the government to ensure the provision of the promised amount to these districts and hand over the decision making powers to the elected representatives for development schemes. Aimal Wali Khan criticized President Arif Alvi for his remarks about the 18th Constitutional Amendment, saying that it was not his mandate to talk about the issue.
He believed the incumbent government had started conspiracies against the Constitution since day one. However, he said, his party would launch a protest movement against any attempts to meddle with the 18th Amendment. The ANP leader rejected the uniform education and curriculum, saying that after the amendment, the provinces had the authority over education. He said that the federal government step to implement a uniform education system was an unconstitutional act and vowed to resist the move.
Aimal Wali Khan lashed out at the provincial government for failing to protect the province’s rights. “The provincial government could demand the province rights from Centre,” he said, adding that ANP would not compromise over the rights of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The ANP leader said that the federal government had withheld Rs 550 billion net hydel profit. He said that if Punjab could stop the supply of wheat to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to meet its requirements, then KP should have the right to stop power supply to other provinces for meeting its demands.
Aimal Wali Khan said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was producing electricity at the rate of Rs1.50 per unit but the same was being sold to the province at Rs 20. He also said that despite this unjust practice the province was facing severe loadshedding. The ANP leader said the government had reopened businesses but educational institutions remained closed, adding that these institutions should also be reopened by following the standard operating procedures.
He demanded provision of internet facility to the merged district, saying that the mobile network had yet to be restored in most of these areas. Aimal Wali Khan asked the government to restore internet and mobile facilities in these areas to enable students to benefit from the online education service. The ANP leader expressed concern over the target killing incidents in the province. He said that his party had been warning the government about the resurgence of militants in the province. He said no one would be allowed to ignite this fire again. However, he warned, if this fire was lit this time, it would engulf the entire country.
Aimal Wali Khan also demanded compensation package for the victims of the Sheikhupura accident where up to 20 people, mostly Sikh community members, were killed when the coach they were travelling in was hit by a train.