Sherpao says QWP seeking votes on basis of performance

CHARSADDA: Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Chairman Aftab Ahamd Khan Sherpao on Sunday said that his party was taking part in the upcoming general election on the basis of its performance.

Speaking at a press conference here, he said the QWP did not believe in raising hollow slogans, rather it served the people with dedication.

Known political figure Arif Kamal Syed announced joining the QWP along with the family members and supporters on the occasion.

Aftab Sherpao said that if voted to power, the QWP would provide jobs to the youth and launch solarization projects to overcome the electricity loadshedding issue.

He said the QWP was striving to bring prosperity and ensure peace on the soil of the Pakhtuns. He was critical of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership, saying that it misguided the youth and made empty pledges to build five million houses and create 10 million jobs.

Aftab Sherpao demanded the establishment of a high-powered commission to look into the ‘corrupt practices’ during the PTI government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The PTI ruled KP for nine years but left the province in dire financial straits, he said, adding, now the province lacked funds to pay salaries to government employees.

Aftab Sherpao said KP’s debt had soared to over Rs900 billion so the commission should be set up to find out as to where the money had gone.

“The one, who used to call his political rivals thieves, pushed the country and KP to the brink of bankruptcy due to his follies and incompetence,” he added.

The QWP leader said that KP had lagged far behind in the race of development and its residents were facing abject poverty. PTI’s so-called crusade against corruption was a ploy to hoodwink the people, he maintained.

Aftab Sherpao said Imran Khan was projected as a third option, but his rule had been a disaster. The PTI leader ruined the economy during his rule and caused political instability, he added. “He failed to eliminate terrorism,” he said, adding, “Imran Khan misguided the youth and based his politics on hollow slogans, which were meant to deceive the young minds in the name of the so-called change.”

“He acted like a dictator when he was the prime minister and incited violence against state institutions when his government was dislodged,” he added. The nation, he maintained, would never forget the May 9 mayhem as the country’s enemies could not dare stage such brazen attacks on the military installations.

“Imran Khan stabbed his benefactors in the back and caused colossal loss to the country and its economy,” he said, adding it would take considerable time and effort to undo the damage and put the country on the path to progress.