Better facilities at Swabi: Asad Qaiser accused of dishonouring promises

SWABI: Most people believe that pledges made by Asad Qaiser and other Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders since the 2013 general election have not been fulfilled.

In a chat with this correspondent, they recalled that Asad Qaiser assumed the speakership of the KP Assembly after the 2013 general election and that of the National Assembly after the 2018 general election.

They recollected that Asad Qaiser had said the electricity transmission lines in the Swabi district would be replaced to get rid of excessive loadshedding and meet the growing power energy needs but that was never done.

The same was the case with the low voltage issue as the problem remained there.

Mukhtiar Khan, an Awami National Party leader, said: “Asad Qaiser was an expert at making empty promises.”

Asad Qaiser had assured people would have adequate health facilities in the public sector hospitals in the district. However, the health units remained only referring centres, sending people to hospitals in Peshawar even for minor cases.

“The PTI leaders have not been able to resolve “refer to” for the last nine years,” said a leader from the same party on condition of anonymity.

Asad Qaiser had said the students of public sector schools and colleges would have contemporary education facilities but both girls’ and boys’ colleges’ staff told this correspondent that it was still a far cry.

The tobacco growers said the PTI leader had promised on multiple occasions that their problems would be resolved on a priority basis but that was not done. It was confirmed by Liaqat Yousafzai, representative of the Tobacco Growers Association Pakistan.

The PTI government upgraded the Benazir Bhutto University Campus to Swabi Women University but its building construction could not be completed in the last four years and the alleged meddling by the PTI leaders in the affairs of the high seat of learning was observed as well.

“The establishment of an education city near the Women University campus was just an empty slogan,” said Babar Saleem, a former MPA and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader.

Masood Jabar, Qaumi Watan Party district chief and district head of the Pakistan Democratic Movement, said Asad Qaiser did not initiate or complete any mega project in the district despite the fact that he enjoyed a distinguished position.

People recalled that the former speaker of the National Assembly had repeatedly claimed the gas facility would be provided to all consumers across the district but said only pipelines at different localities were laid which, they said, did not resolve the issue.

The PTI tasted a crushing defeat in local government elections and when the PTI Chairman Imran Khan visited the district on May 16, all arrangements were made by Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Shahram Khan Tarakai.

The participation in the “Haqiqi Azadi March on May 25 from the Swabi district was nominal.

When contacted, Asad Qaiser did not take the phone calls and did not respond to the questions sent to him on his WhatsApp.