Protest referendum against corruption of political leaders, says Pervez Khattak

NOWSHERA: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on Monday said that the Peshawar-to-Rawalpindi march would prove a referendum against the corruption of political leaders.Speaking at a gathering here, he said the basic purpose of the rally was to create an awareness among the masses about the corruption of political leadership.

The chief minister added that protest rallies would be held in all the provinces in the first phase. He added that new strategies would be devised if Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif didn’t present himself for accountability. He lamented that accountability bodies were laying hands on ‘small thieves’ while nobody went after the big fish. “Those people who have looted the country’s wealth, established off-shore companies and purchased properties abroad have gathered at one platform to provide protection to their fellow corrupt people,” he added.

Pervez Khattak said that the country’s financial problems could be resolved if the money stashed in offshore bank accounts was brought to Pakistan.He said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was neither providing details about his property nor agreeing to the terms of reference (ToR) to probe the Panama Papers leaks.

The chief minister said his government had not only reduced the level of corruption in the province but also strengthened institutions, which would bring a positive change in the lives of ordinary people.

He said a bill was being moved in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly to ensure confidentiality of the informers and 25 percent money from the recovered amount as reward.“The government has released Rs33 billion to local governments. They would monitor all development projects at local level,” he maintained.

Pervez Khattak claimed that 13,000 rooms had been added to schools, 24,000 teachers were recruited while 16,000 more would be recruited.He said he had directed the Education Department to devise a formula for teaching methods. “We have planned that the province would have one teacher for 40 students.”