PTI lacks vision to develop merged districts: QWP

PESHAWAR: The Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) on Monday criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for its failure to come up to the expectations of the tribal population and honour the commitments made with them.

A press release said that QWP provincial Chairman Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao made these remarks while talking to a delegation of the Mamozai Qaumi Ittehad led by its general secretary Sher Wali Khan Orakzai at Watan Kor. Speaking on the occasion, he extended the assurance that the QWP delegation would participate in the planned protest sit-in of the Mamozai Qaumi Ittehad in Orakzai tribal district for acceptance of their demands on October 11.

Backing the demands of the Mamozai Qaumi Ittehad, Sikandar Sherpao asked the government to take steps to redress their grievances. The PTI government, he maintained, had reneged on the pledges made to the people of the tribal districts at the time of merger. “It seems the government has no plan or vision to work for the uplift of the merged districts,” he said, adding that discontent was growing among the residents of the ex-Fata due to the indifferent attitude of the PTI rulers.

The QWP leader urged the government to implement Fata reforms in letter and spirit and release the promised funds so that the infrastructure could be strengthened and development projects executed in the tribal districts. “The infrastructure was damaged owing to lawlessness in the former tribal areas, where the people are facing hunger, poverty and joblessness,” he maintained. He demanded the government to repair the damaged schools and hospitals in the merged districts to provide education and health facilities to the residents of the ex-Fata. Expressing concern over the poor law and order, Sikandar Sherpao said lawlessness had reared its ugly head again in the merged districts due to the slackness of the government.