Pervez Khattak says PTI govt, institutions on same page

NOWSHERA: Federal Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak said on Sunday the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and the state institutions were on the same page.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan will complete his constitutional term in office. The Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz [PMLN] and Pakistan people’s Party [PPP]’s long march against the government are bound to fail like in the past,” he said while talking to the media at the Nowshera Press Club. Deputy Commissioner Mir Raza Ozgan, Mian Muhammad Umar Kakkhel, industrialist Zar Alam Khan, other social and political figures were present on the occasion.

Pervez Khattak said these opposition parties had staged long march protests in the past against the government which had met with failures.

“The proposed march against the PTI government will fail again as the masses have realized that the opposition parties are insincere,” he said while referring to the protest drives announced by the opposition’s Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and the PPP.

He was critical of the opposition parties and accused them of fooling the masses in the past with catchy slogans and doing nothing concrete when they were in power at different times.

“The PMLN did nothing for the people when it enjoyed power thrice; PPP fooled the people with Roti, Kapra Aur Makaan (bread, clothing and shelter); Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazal used the name of religion while Awami National Party turned to Pakhtun nationalism to get votes,” he said to explain his point.

The defence minister accused the opposition politicians of minting money for themselves instead of working for the welfare of the poor people of the country.

He flayed the PDM and said the alliance of the opposition parties had been launched only to protect its own leaders whom he branded as financially corrupt.

Pervez Khattak said the opposition parties had no agenda for the good of the people and were making contact with one another only to dislodge the PTI government and grab power through hook or by crook. He recalled that he had initiated a number of development projects when he was chief minister of KP and kept on securing funds for more uplift schemes even to date.

The defence minister said the PTI government fully believed in press freedom and would continue efforts to strengthen the freedom of expression and take steps for the welfare of the journalist community. He promised to make all efforts for the welfare of the members of the Nowshera Press Club.

Earlier, he administered oath to the office-bearers of the Nowshera Press Club and Nowshera Union of Journalists. He planted a sapling on the lawn of the club as well to launch the tree plantation campaign.

The club’s newly elected President Hafiz Tafheemur Rehman presented the address of welcome. He enlisted the problems faced by the Nowshera journalists and put forward suggestions for having them resolved.