CHARSADDA: Qaumi Watan Party chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao on Tuesday claimed that ‘controlled democracy’ had been in place in the country and demanded holding of free and fair elections.

“The ‘selected’ ones cannot take the place of the truly elected leadership. Therefore, a free and fair election should be held at the earliest to give the people the chance to elect their true leaders,” he said.

He expressed these views while addressing a public meeting at Sherpao village in Charsadda district to mark the 45th death anniversary of Hayat Mohammad Khan Sherpao.

A large number of QWP workers holding party flags were present on the occasion.

They also chanted slogans eulogising the services of the martyred leader.

National Party leader Senator Mir Hasil Bizenjo, Mazdoor Kisan Party central president Afzal Shah Khamosh, leaders of all components of the Pakhtunkhwa Jamhoori Ittehad and QWP provincial chairman Sikandar Sherpao also addressed the gathering.

Sherpao says ‘selected’ can’t take the place of elected leaders

Paying tribute to late Hayat Sherpao, the QWP chairman recalled that he had always raised voice for the rights of oppressed people and worked for their wellbeing throughout his life.

“Shaheed Hayat Mohammad Khan had entered politics as a challenger to the status quo forces. He inspired political consciousness in Pakhtuns and played a leading role in socioeconomic development of the Pakhtuns at that time,” he added.

Criticising the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government, Aftab Sherpao said that his party wanted a true democracy to take root instead of the controlled one which had stifled the growth of democratic institutions.

He said that the PTI rulers had failed to deliver on pledges keeping in view its 18-month rule.

He claimed that record Rs11 trillion loans had been added to the national debt in the last 18 months.

He said that the finance division and economic policies had been outsourced to the IMF. “Inflation is at its highest.

The prices of flour, ghee, sugar and other daily use items have registered a sharp increase.

The electricity and gas tariffs as well as the prices of POL products have been increased manifold,” he said.

The QWP leader said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab governments were virtually being controlled from the centre.

He criticised the government for failing to convene the meeting of the Council of Common Interests which was mandatory under the Constitution.

About the merged districts, he said that people had attached high hopes to the merger of former Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but now attempts were being made to reverse the process and the recent laws were a case in point.

He also announced that his party would launch a movement against the burgeoning prices and wrong policies of the PTI government.

Aftab Sherpao said that his party wanted good relations with Afghanistan. He said that all trade routes with Afghanistan should be opened for trade round the clock. He stated that the western corridor of CPEC should be built on priority basis.

Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2020