Election candidates in Lower Dir pledge to work for development and peace

TIMERGARA: Political parties and their election candidates from Lower Dir district have pledged to work towards peace, development, and employment in the area.

This commitment was made during a function organised by Dir Qaumi Pasoon, an apolitical civic body of elders, at a hotel in Timergara on Sunday.The purpose of the gathering was to identify the main issues faced by the people of Dir and to bring together different political parties and their nominated candidates to present their election manifestos and plans.

Candidates for the general elections, including Brig (r) Saeed Khan and former provincial minister Muzaffar Said advocate of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-Parliamentarians, Shad Nawaz Khan of the JI candidate for PK-16, JI district general secretary Hafiz Yaqubur Rehman, PPP district president Mahmood Zeb Khan, Ali Shah Mashwani, a PTI dissident and independent candidate for NA 6, Alamzeb advocate of the PPP for NA 7, Maulana Muhammad Nabi Shah JUI-F candidate for PK 16, PMLN candidate for PK-14 Malik Muhammad Nauman, Pakistan Rah e Haq Party candidate for NA-7 Maulana Ubaidullah Anwar, ANP’s Imran Takar, and others presented their manifestos and future plans for the development of Dir.

Senior journalist and TV anchor person Hassan Khan, president of All Sub-Engineers Welfare Association Bashir Ahmad, president Anjuman Tajiran Timergara Haji Anwarud Din, teachers’ representative Dr. Salimullah, and DQP activist Malik Shah Naseem also spoke on the occasion.

The candidates agreed to end the politics of hatred and the use of abusive language against each other. They pledged to complete all incomplete development projects such as the construction of the Talash bypass road, functionalising of the Koto hydro power station, classes at the Timergara Medical College, establishment of an industrial zone, and the upgradation of local hospitals and educational institutions.

Speaking on the occasion, DQP chairperson and real estate dealer Malik Jehan Alam Yousafzai called on all nominated candidates from both Lower and Upper Dir districts to focus on the development of the area and avoid the politics of opposition for the sake of opposition.

He also asked the residents to elect representatives well aware of the issues and problems of the area, and said that disunity among politicians and a lack of interest adversely affected the masses.

During the event, the election candidates pledged that they would press both the federal and provincial governments to initiate mega development projects in Dir. Almost all the speakers rejected the imposition of taxes in Malakand division and promised to try to extend the tax-free zone of the region, considering it the worst-affected area.

Meanwhile, the Aqliati Ittihad Council, a body representing the minorities in the area, announced their support for the PPP nominated candidates for NA-7, Alam Zeb advocate, and PK-16, Kamran Zeb Khan. The announcement was made during a function at Timergara, during which the representatives of Sikhs, Hindus, and Christians declared their support for the PPP candidates.