close
Thursday March 28, 2024

‘PTI committed to protecting rights of poor’

By Mushtaq Paracha
February 26, 2018

NOWSHERA: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak said on Sunday Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was the only political party in the country which was struggling for the rights of the common man. He was speaking at a function arranged to mark supply of natural gas to 38 villages of Khora area of Khankoi in Nizampur.

Minister for Excise and Taxation Mian Jamsheduddin, Member National Assembly Dr Imran Khattak, MPA Idrees Khattak, Nowshera District Nazim Liaqat Khattak and members of the district council spoke on the occasion as well.

The chief minister said those who raised the slogan of roti, kapra aur makan, Islam and Pakhtun rights had done nothing to provide relief to the poor segments of the society.

"This country was not created for the feudal lords and capitalists. The poor have the equal rights to the country resources," asserted the chief minister. Pervez Khattak came down hard on the Awami National Party (ANP). "This party crossed all limits. It resorted to loot and plunder of the resources through the worst favouritism and destroyed the state institutions," he said and added the party always left behind disaster after ruling the country. The chief minister said the ANP ruled the province thrice. "Its first government failed to give any relief to the masses. There was ata (flour) crisis in the province when this nationalist party was in power for the second time. The ANP third stint in power left the province in the wave of terror," he said. Khattak said that water, electricity, gas and other amenities were the basic needs of the masses and their due right. "But the past governments did not bother to provide these facilities to the people who had elected them power," he pointed out.

The chief minister flayed Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman for opposing the PTI-led government move to provide Rs10,000 monthly stipend to the prayer leaders of mosques.

"The Maulana is critical of the step and says it is the non-governmental organisations' money. Let me clarify that this stipend is being disbursed by the provincial government through its own resources. The stipend is also being provided to the heads of the minority places of worship," he went on to add.

The chief minister said the JUI-F chief had launched a campaign against the monthly stipend to the prayer leaders as he saw a danger to his politics. "I don't know how these leaders will face the masses in future?" he added.

Pervez Khattak said the PTI-led provincial government had launched several mega development projects in the province. He said these uplift projects were important in the sense that the provincial government did not invest a single penny in these projects but ensured 10 per cent share in profit for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The CM said the PTI government reformed all major departments in the province, including police, health, education, etc. "We freed the Police Department from all types of political interference and introduced merit in recruitment," he added. Khattak said new changes were effected in the Health Department by employing more doctors, other paramedical staff and facilities were provided at the state-run hospitals to ensure affordable treatment to the poor people.

About the Education sector, he said a large number of teachers were recruited at the government-run schools and the condition of the educational institutions was improved by providing requisite facilities. The chief minister expressed the hope the people would again repose confidence in the PTI and by re-elect the party to serve them.