Major general retired launches political party in KP

NOWSHERA: A retired major general of the Pakistan Army on Sunday launched a new political party, Tehreek Taraqi-wa-Kamal Pakistan, with the pledge to resolve the problems of the poor and hapless people of the country.

The founder of the Tehreek Taraqi-wa-Kamal Pakistan, Retired Major-General Farrukh Bashir said that his political party was not launched to target anyone but to solve the problems of poor citizens.

Speaking at a presser at the Nowshera Press Club, he said that his party would draw the government’s attention to the energy crisis, excessive electricity bills, and exploitation of Independent Power Producers (IPPs).

Flanked by the party’s provincial chief organiser Abdul Munaf Khan, general secretary Anwar Khan Haidri, finance secretary Muhammad Ayaz and ambassador for youth Affairs Salar Khan, he said that IPPs’ charges had increased to over Rs2 trillion, which had become a huge burden on the poor citizens.

“The government has tried to deceive the people by claiming to terminate agreements with five IPPs, but now they are going to review agreements with 18 more IPPs,” he alleged.He said that Pakistan was a poor country and the rulers needed to realize the poor could not bear the burden of inflation. “If the issue of IPPs is not resolved, we will start a movement,” he warned.

Retired Major-General Farrukh Bashir noted that his new party would bring together patriotic people to work for the country’s betterment. “No political party can run the country alone,” he said while taking pride in his affiliation with a certain institution. However, he clarified

that he would not be a spokesperson for the army.

He expressed his best wishes for Imran Khan and said that his party was being formed not to target anyone but efforts would be made to create political harmony in the country.Retired Major-General Farrukh Bashir said his prayers were with Imran Khan for his release, hoping he would not repeat the mistakes he had made in the past and would work for the country. He also sought punishment for those who resorted to violence on May 9.

He said that his party’s manifesto was focused on ensuring justice, as they believed that without justice no problem can be solved. The party would address the basic problems of the people, including education, health, clean drinking water, employment, and the elimination of corruption, nepotism, and inflation.