PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) chief Aftab Sherpao on Saturday said that it was need of the hour to merge the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to mitigate longstanding issues and problems facing tribal population since independence.
“The Pakhtuns from KP, Fata and northern Balochistan must live in one province,” he said, adding that the merger of Fata into KP would be the first step to make the federation stronger.
Addressing a gathering in connection with the third foundation day of the QWP here, he said terrorism had battered the Pakhtun belt and it was time to address this menace.
“The government should focus on the implementation of the National Action Plan so as to establish the writ of the state,” he stressed.
Aftab Sherpao said the Pakhtuns were passing through a difficult phase. “The policies of the federal government are increasing the sense of deprivation among the smaller provinces,” he added.
He asked the federal government to take concrete steps to address the issues of the militancy-hit province.
Talking about the Pak-Afghan relations, Aftab Sherpao said whatever happened in Afghanistan directly affected the Pakhtuns in Pakistan.
“Continued turmoil in Kabul is not in our favour. We must do whatever we can to end violence there. Relationship between Kabul and Islamabad cannot be improved through dialogues state level dialogues only. The Pakhtuns in Peshawar, Jalalabad, Kandahar and Quetta must also be involved as they have brotherly links with each other since long,” he noted.
Aftab Sherpao said the QWP was a staunch supporter of the western route of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as it would help benefit the less developed areas in northern Balochistan, KP and Fata.
Criticising the federal government over Kalabagh dam issue, he said that pursuing this project would harm the federation. “The government should
not waste time on baseless issues,” he said, adding, the rulers should double their efforts and announced handsome funds for reconstruction and modification of the Munda dam. He also demanded federal government to release dues of net-hydel profit as soon as possible.
He said that QWP would not compromise on the rights of Pakhtuns and would raise slogans on every platform to ensure provincial rights and autonomy.
QWP vice-chairman Abdul Malik Khan, secretary general Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli, provincial chief Sikandar Sherpao, senior leaders Haji Ghufran and others were also present on the occasion.