Corrupt politicians re-aligning to deceive masses: Khattak

NOWSHERA: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak said on Sunday tainted politicians were again converging on a single platform to deceive the masses with new catchy slogans but people were aware and would not be cheated this time.

He was speaking at a public meeting in Azakhel Bala area of the Nowshera district where several Awami National Party (ANP) local office-bearers and workers joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Those who joined the PTI included Malik Tor Khan, Murad Khan, Abdul Wahid, Hidayat Khan, Sanaullah, Muhammad Ilyas, Saleh Muhammad, Fateh Khan and Qayyum Khan. District Nazim Liaquat Khattak, Member National Assembly Dr Imran Khattak, Qaim Shah and Ahad Khattak addressed the gathering as well.

Pervez Khattak and Imran Khattak presented caps to the new entrants to the PTI and welcomed them to the party folds. Coming down hard on the Pakistan People’s Party, the chief minister said that the party cheated the masses with the slogan of roti, kapra aur makan but the party did nothing practical for the welfare of the poor sections of the society but multiplied the fortunes of the party leader, Asif Ali Zardari.

Pervez Khattak was critical of the ANP and accused the nationalist party of playing politics in the name of the Pakhtun rights. “The ANP during its five years rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa sold out the Pakhtuns for own gains. The party failed to set up even a single industrial unit in the province. The ANP leaders only furthered own interests and minted money,” he alleged.

The chief minister said Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam of Maulana Fazulr Rehman was in power in Khyber Pakhtunkwha for five years. “I ask the JUI-F chief what service he had done to Islam during all this time?’‘The PTI with the help of its coalition partners Jamaat-e-Islami and Qaumi Watan Party has introduced reforms in the education sector,” said Pervez Khattak.

Elaborating on his statement, he said that recitation from the Holy Quran has been made compulsory up to the fifth grade in the schools while teaching of the Holy Quran with translation has been made mandatory till the 1oth grade. We have made legislation and launched a jihad to end usury-based transactions in the province,” explained the chief minister.

Enumerating the other measures taken by the PTI-led provincial government, he said that the Whistle Blower Act has been passed. Under the law, he added, one-third money recovered from the corrupt elements would be given to the person who would inform the authorities about this corruption. The name of the whistle blower will be kept secret, he went on to say.

The chief minister exhorted upon the people to come forward and provide information to the relevant bodies about the corrupt mafia; help the government to go after these thieves, looters, smugglers and win a share in the recovered amount.

Pervez Khattak implored the masses not to be misled by those corrupt politicians who had resorted to loot and plunder in the past when they were in power. “They are the same people who had looted the exchequer and damaged the institutions. It took us almost two and a half years to rectify the situation and put the institutions on the right path again,” he added.

The chief minister flayed the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the PPP leadership. He accused both the parties of strengthening each other hands in grabbing and clinging up to power turn by turn. Pervez Khattak demanded the National Accountability Bureau to make public the list of those corrupt politicians and bureaucrats who had struck plea bargains to win relief so that they are barred from misusing powers in future once and for all.

The chief minister said that the provincial government was honouring the promises the PTI leaders had made to the people during 2013 general election. “We are implementing the party manifesto and providing relief and services to the people for voting us to power,” he added.

Pervez Khattak said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the associated schemes would change the fate of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “The CPEC would end unemployment and make this province the hub of trade and commerce activities,” he said with confidence.