PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao on Saturday asked the government to implement the recommendations of Sartaj Aziz committee about the merged tribal districts.

He was speaking here at a function wherein Pakistan Peoples Party leader Dr Farooq Afzal belonging to Mohmand district announced to join QWP along with his family members and supporters. QWP leaders Haji Mohammad Ghufran, Sikandar Sherpao, Hashim Babar and others were also present on the occasion.

Aftab Sherpao asked the federal government to honour the pledges made with the tribal people at the time of merging the former Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“The tribal people have rendered unprecedented sacrifices for the restoration of peace, therefore the government must take steps to mitigate their sufferings,” he said, urging the government to release the promised funds so that development activities could take place in the tribal districts.

He recalled that the government had pledged to release Rs100 billion annually for 10 years for the development of the merged districts. He also urged the other provinces, including Sindh and Balochistan, to release the three per cent of the National Finance Commission award as per their commitment.

The QWP leader asked the government to compensate those affected by the Mohmand Dam.

Mr Sherpao said that the government had failed to take action against the sugar, flour and petrol mafias. About the recent statement of the prime minister that the economy had shown signs of improvement, he said that the poor people were still facing backbreaking price hike.

“The people are compelled to take to the streets against the unannounced electricity loadshedding in the scorching heat,” he said, adding that though Khyber Pakhtunkhwa produced cheaper hydel electricity more than its consumption, its residents faced prolonged power cuts.

Mr Sherpao said the parliament was not playing its role as even the elected representatives were not being allowed to highlight the issues faced by the masses. He warned against any move to undermine the parliament and democracy.

Asking the government to revisit its foreign policy, he said that Islamabad should exercise caution with regard to the prevailing situation in the Middle East.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2020