Federal govt exploiting smaller provinces: Sherpao

PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) chief Aftab Sherpao on Tuesday accused the federal government of exploiting the smaller federating units and depriving them of their resources.

Addressing a gathering in Kohistan, he said that Kohistan was an integral part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and their party would spare no effort so that people of the district could reap the benefits of the project, said a press release.

Aftab Sherpao added that people of the province would have no interest in the successful completion of the CPEC project if their province was kept out of the development projects under the mega project.

He pointed towards the aggression by the Indian government and declared it as a useless attempt to block the Indus River in violation of the Indus Water Treaty. “The Indian government is trying to cover up its atrocities and illegal occupation of Kashmir,” he added.

Aftab Sherpao stated that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had incurred a huge loss because of militancy and natural disasters. He said the federal government took no measures to compensate the people of the province and the people did not even receive the aid sent by other countries and international organisations.

The QWP leader demanded complete royalty of the Dasu Dam for the people of the district and called for an end to the practice of seizing resources of smaller provinces and underdeveloped areas.