NA-4 defeat: Amir Muqam levelling allegations for face-saving: Khattak

NOWSHERA: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on Sunday said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz-led three-party alliance failed to defeat the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate in the recently held by-election for NA-4.

Addressing a public gathering in Taru Jabba here, he said that PML-N leader Amir Muqam was levelling baseless allegations against the provincial government in a face-saving effort. Member National Assembly Dr Imran Khattak, Member Provincial Assembly Mian Khaliqur Rehman, District Naib Nazim Ashfaq Ahmad and others were also present on the occasion.

Councillor Fazal Deyan, Syed Zeb Hussain Shah, Nawaz Khan, Bashir Khan, Ali Hassan, Khushdil Khan, Malik Kamran, Ghulam Nabi, Ismail Khan, Rafiq Khan, Khadim Hussain, Khalid Hussain Wajid Shahzad and several others announced joining the PTI.

"Following in the footsteps of his leader [Nawaz Sharif], he is now making accusations against national institutions after losing the by-election," he remarked.

Pervez Khattak said Amir Muqam knew that the NA-4 by-election was conducted by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) under the supervision of the Pakistan Army. He said that Amir Muqam was now casting aspersions on the PML-N-appointed ECP. "Amir Muqam should respect public mandate instead of hiding behind lame excuses," he added.

He said the provincial government was responsible for providing security to the election staff. "If Amir Muqam has proofs about rigging, he should come forward and move the ECP to get the wrongdoers punished," he said.

The chief minister believed that Pakistan People's Party, Awami National Party and the PML-N would not be able to face the PTI in the next general election. "These parties can no more deceive the people in the name of roti, kapra, makan, Pakhtuns or religion," he said.

He hoped the PTI would emerge victorious in the 2018 general election and its political rivals would face a humiliating defeat. Pervez Khattak said that the country needed unblemished leaders and not the ones who had committed corruption and stashed wealth in offshore bank accounts. "We will win the next general election on the basis of our performance and Imran Khan will become the prime minister," he claimed.

Pervez Khattak said that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his entire family were involved in corruption. He believed the PML-N had become irrelevant and lost its political clout. He advised Amir Muqam to think twice before making baseless accusations against other people. He said that Amir Muqam was a contractor, who knew nothing about politics.

The chief minister said the people had reposed confidence in the provincial government as other political parties always hoodwinked the people. He said the PTI-led coalition government delivered on its pledges and implemented its reform agenda.

Pervez Khattak said that he was focusing on correcting the system. He said that uplift schemes were being carried out across the province. He said that in the past the rulers didn't bother to provide relief to the people. "We have taken several steps to mitigate the sufferings of the people and provided jobs to the educated youth on merit without any discrimination," he said. The chief minister said the PTI government ended interference in government departments and ensured good governance. He said the police force was freed from clutches of the influential people and legislation was carried out to benefit the poor.