PML-N can bring KP on par with Punjab: Saad Rafique

KOHAT: Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique on Wednesday said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would bring the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on a par with Punjab if voted to power in the province.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the restoration of Kohat Rail Car Service here, the minister said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan was alien to political norms.

“Imran Khan is unaware of the political norms,” he said, adding, abusing and levelling baseless allegations against political opponents had become a habit of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders.

He said difference of opinion was possible in democracy but there could be no permanent rivalry or enmity between politicians. “Only a fool makes permanent enemies and not a politician,” he maintained.

The minister said that the basic problems of the country had remained unsolved even 70 years after the creation of the country.

Saad Rafique said the interference of adventurists created hurdles in the development of the country. Imran Khan did not miss any opportunity to criticize the political opponents but kept a mum over the mismanagement and wrongdoings in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he added.

He said when the dengue fever was at its peak in the province, Imran Khan went to scenic places to enjoy the pleasant weather and natural beauty.

“Imran Khan did not utter a single word when a jail was attacked in Dera Ismail Khan, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission (KPEC) was made dysfunctional and a scandal surfaced in the Bank of Khyber in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he added.

Mocking the Billion Tree Tsunami project of the PTI-led provincial government, the PML-N stalwart said no plants can be seen in the province.

“The saplings planted in the province have worn a magic cap and thus cannot not be seen anywhere,” he added.

He said that Imran Khan used to dub the metro bus service in Lahore and Rawalpindi in Punjab as ‘jangla bus’ (scrape) but was developing the same by spending huge funds.

“Even one cannot get a glimpse of the change the PTI had promised to bring about in the province after winning the election,” he added.

In contrary, Saad Rafique said, the federal government of the PML-N honoured the pledges the party leaders had made with the people in its election campaign in 2013.

He said that peace had been restored to the port city of Karachi and restive Balochistan province and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor was being developed on a fast track.

The minister said loadshedding had been eliminated, economy brought on track, energy crisis brought under control, adding the railways was in deficit but had been revived now and stability brought to the country.

He said the PML-N would bring the roads, health, education, infrastructure in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on a par with that of Punjab province if the people of the province gave the party a chance to form government here.

Saad Rafique said the powers of chief ministers of KP Pervez Khattak and Murad Ali Shah of Sindh were not less than of Shahbaz Sharif but the difference can be seen in the performance of the three chief ministers. “Even foreign governments are admiring the performance of Shahbaz Sharif.

Earlier, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique inaugurated the Kohat-Rawalpindi rail car service.

PMLN- Provincial president and Advisor to Prime Minister Amir Muqam and former senator Abbas Afridi were also present.

The rail car service was abandoned in May 2013 as the ministry was in loss and was no longer able to continue the passenger service.

Deputy Chief Controller at Peshawar Railways Station Amjad Khan said the track and railways station were overhauled with an estimated cost of Rs55 million.

He said that furnished waiting rooms, washroom, water purification plants and other services were arranged for passengers at the Kohat Railways Station.

Amjad Khan added the speed of the rail car service was increased from 40km previously to 60 kilometer per hour after the repair and other work done on the railway track, which would reduce the travel time from Kohat to Rawalpindi by two hours.

He said the status of the rail car was upgraded from mix-passengers service to Express Train, adding that number of passenger coaches was also raised to nine from four coaches in 2013.

The official said over 1,100 passengers would benefit from the resumption of the service on daily bases.

He said the train would leave the Kohat Railways Station at 7:30am and reach Rawalpindi on 11:30am, adding the rail car would leave the Rawalpindi Station for Kohat at 3pm the same day and reach its destination at 7:30pm.­