No dual policy on CPEC, says KP CM

NOWSHERA: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on Sunday rejected the allegation of pursuing dual policy on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Speaking at different events here, he said he had made it clear to the Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal that prime minister should take into confidence the leadership of the province on the CPEC issue.

Pervez Khattak said all opposition parties, including Awami National Party (ANP), had no evidence to discredit Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government. “Therefore, the leaders of these parties have started propaganda against the PTI,” he added.

The chief minister said that he had followed the party manifesto during the last three years, adding that appointments were made on merit and development projects were undertaken with transparency.

Pervez Khattak said the political opponents were claiming that they had spent Rs115 billion on development projects in the province while in fact it was Rs75 billion in the previous government.

He said the rulers in the previous government had concentrated on own districts, adding that he considered the entire province as his constituency.

The political interference was the main hurdle to the development of the country and that was the reason his party started de-politicisation of the departments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he added.

The chief minister accused the past rulers of misusing the state machinery, especially police, for furthering own ends. He said such practices affected governance negatively.

Pervez Khattak said that no state could prosper which had undue interference in governance, denial of justice to the masses and inequality in the various sections of the society.

The chief minister said the PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had an agenda of development. “This agenda keeps an eye on corruption and dishonesty. It ensures the use of official resources for the welfare of the masses,” he went on to say.

Pervez Khattak urged the people to pay taxes as the state machinery is run by the taxes. “The government utilizes all these resources to facilitate the masses,” he added.