Asad Qaiser, Gandapur vow to protect KP rights

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former speaker of the National Assembly, Asad Qaiser, on Monday met Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to discuss the pressing issues facing the province.

Member of National Assembly Faisal Amin Gandapur, and former chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan Khalid Khurshid also attended the meeting that took place at the Chief Minister’s House here.

During the meeting, the two leaders discussed the issue of “illegal” loadshedding of electricity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. They resolved to raise the issue in the National Assembly and Senate.

It was emphasized that if the relief schedule agreed upon with the chief minister was not implemented, all necessary measures would be taken to address the situation. The participants expressed concern and accused the federal government of not providing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa its legitimate and constitutional rights, including arrears of the net hydel power. They vowed to raise an effective voice at the national level against what they said were injustices.

The participants discussed the issue of the wheat purchase from Punjab farmers. The leaders lamented that the Punjab government had imposed mandatory permit condition, thereby exploiting the farmers in Punjab.

They flayed the Punjab government's actions as they hindered the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government's efforts to buy wheat on a first-come, first-served basis at fair rates. The PTI leaders said this behaviour was anti-farmers and a violation of Article 151 of the Constitution, which prohibited the restriction on inter-provincial trade.

The meeting discussed the imposition of proposed taxes in the erstwhile Fata and Pata regions. It was unanimously agreed that no tax should be imposed in these areas without the consent of the provincial government and taking the locals into confidence. The leaders warned that any unilateral move may create serious law and order issues.