May 9 mayhem: Sherpao calls for strict punishment for masterminds, facilitators

CHARSADDA: Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao on Saturday termed the May 9 the blackest day in the country’s history and demanded strict punishment as per the law for the masterminds, facilitators and perpetrators of the violence.

Speaking at a meeting of party office-bearers at Zaim Union Council in Charsadda district, he said the military installations were attacked, government buildings and state properties were vandalized during the so-called protests on the May 9-10 mayhem across the country.

“The country has never experienced such vandalism and chaotic situations. Even Pakistan’s enemies could not dare attack the country’s military installations the way the miscreants indulged in vandalism under a pre-planned conspiracy to weaken the foundations of the motherland,” he lamented, calling for severe punishment for the perpetrators, their abettors and instigators.

Aftab Sherpao said that giving any relief to the perpetrators of violence by any institution would amount to treason against the state.

Holding the PTI chairman responsible for the mayhem, the QWP leader said Imran Khan not only pitted the state institutions against each other but also poisoned the minds of the young people.

He vowed that his party would spare no effort to work for the welfare of the young generation to create jobs for them in order to steer them away from negative activities.

He said that Imran Khan had a cult following, which was harmful for the country, adding the PTI even tarnished Pakistan’s image at the international level.

Aftab Sherpao said Imran Khan was ousted from power through the vote of no-confidence, which was a democratic process, but the PTI chairman lacked the moral courage to concede defeat by swallowing his pride.

“Instead of facing defeat gracefully, he has resorted to dirty tricks by instigating his cult followers to campaign against the country’s interests,” he remarked, adding that the PTI leadership had asked the world not to extend financial support to Pakistan facing economic crunch, resulting in the impasse with the International Monetary Fund.

The previous PTI government, he maintained, was responsible for the prevailing state of economic affairs.

Commenting on the recent federal budget, he said though the government announced salary raise for the government employees, it was not in line with the rising price-hike.

He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the least developed province in the country, asking the federal government to give it its due share of resources and funds particularly for the merged tribal districts.

Aftab Sherpao urged the federal government to give KP its share in the Kissan Package and the 5,000 solar tube-wells to be installed across the country to boost agriculture in the province.

He said KP had lagged far behind in the race of development due to the misrule and bad governance over the last 10 years.

The entire system was riddled with corrupt practices and there was a dire need for reforms to fight the tax evasion. He said smuggling was taking place unchecked in KP, which had caused colossal loss to the provincial economy in the shape of tax theft, adding that coordination lacked between the Centre and the provincial government.

He also expressed concern over the long hours of electricity loadshedding in KP, saying the province produced surplus power, but its residents faced prolonged power cuts after rise in mercury.

The QWP leader said that the cash-strapped KP was in dire financial straits, lacking funds to prepare the next budget.

He said that the province had virtually gone bankrupt due to the flawed policies of the previous PTI government. He said that the provincial government should put in place the price control mechanism to provide relief to the have-nots by bringing down the prices of the daily use commodities.