KP’s rights being usurped, says JI leader

PESHAWAR: Provincial president of Jamaat-e-Islami Prof Mohammad Ibraheem Khan on Tuesday said the legitimate rights of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were being usurped as the people here were not getting flour and the prime minister at the Centre was ordering new vehicles worth millions.

Addressing a seminar titled “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rights Conference” here, the JI leader said that after the merger of the tribal districts with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa no project could be launched there for rehabilitation and development.

He said that the people of the tribal districts should be given their rights in line with the population growth there.

The conference was also addressed by provincial deputy chief of the party Inayatullah Khan, general secretary Abdul Wasi, district chief Bahrullah Khan, traders’ leader Malik Mehr Elahi, Arbab Jameel of Kisan Ittehad, Fazal Muqeem from CNG sector, former provincial ministers Kashif Azam Chishti, Hafiz Hashmat Khan and others.

Prof Ibraheem said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was rich in natural resources of electricity, oil and gas reserves. But the people of the province were deprived of the benefits of the plenty of these resources, he said.

He added that the unemployment rate in the province was higher than the rest of the country, while the people were facing serious problems due to electricity and gas outages. He informed that some 2.8 million vehicles in the province have been grounded due to the closure of CNG in the province.

He said that the province was supplying gas to the rest of the country, while its own inhabitants were deprived of the facility.

“Our hands are tied despite the resources, our gas has reached other provinces but the local people are deprived of it. People are fed up with loadshedding of electricity and gas in the province,” he remarked.

Prof Ibraheem said that the system of oppression was in vogue in the country, while the system of the universe was based on justice and fairness.

“The JI leader declared that they will fight for the rights of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A big protest demonstration would be organised next month for the rights of the province,” he announced.

Kashif Azam Chishti said that the ban on the supply of wheat and flour from Punjab should be lifted. The people of the province have the right to be provided an uninterrupted supply of gas and the CNG stations across the province should be opened forthwith, he added.

Inayatullah Khan said that a roadmap is needed for provincial rights. For a stable Pakistan, the units of the federation must be given basic rights, he said. “If Punjab government stops flour trucks coming to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, no gas should be supplied to it,” he said.

Provincial Secretary General Abdul Wasi said that the highest amount under hydle net profit was released to the province during the tenure of former JI Chief Sirajul Haq as finance minister.