SWABI: Former National Assembly speaker and PTI lawmaker Asad Qaiser stated on Thursday that all parties involved should come up with a plan of action to combat the rising terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, adding, they must give young people hope for a bright future to prevent them from falling into wrong hands.

Talking to Dawn at his residence here, the PTI leader vehemently resented the prevailing law and order situation in the province particularly in merged districts.

“We must identify the underlying causes of terrorism and lawlessness in the country because security is a major concern. The government has yet to demonstrate any seriousness regarding the very complicated challenges we face in KP and Balochistan, despite the fact that our soldiers are being martyred on a daily basis,” he stated.

He asserted that because the federal government had not taken action to improve the economic standing of the people and achieve results, there was no government writ in the combined districts.

Urges stakeholders to save youth from landing in wrong hands

“Increasing trade with Afghanistan will give residents of merging districts job opportunities, and once the youth have a job, they won’t join the Tehreek Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or any other group,” Mr Qaiser claimed.

PTI’s senior leader went on to explain that the wealthy elite had fled to Punjab, Karachi, or overseas due to the confusing situation, and they had also made significant investments in Dubai because they were having problems accessing the market and security was a major issue for them.

In response to a query, he stated that the government’s authority in the combined districts had already been weakened and that there was no industry where young people could participate in productive endeavours and make a living with respect and dignity.

The PTI leader said that relations with Afghanistan should be normalised, and Pakistan should open all trade routes with Afghanistan and Iran including other neighbouring countries and resume full business activities. He stressed that issues with Afghanistan should be resolved through negotiation.

Answering a question about former prime minister Imran Khan, Asad Qaiser said, “We hope that our leader and party’s founder will be released soon.”

DROWNED: A 40-year-old man drowned in Bada dam while fishing, said rescue officials. As soon as 1122 control room received the information, the diving team was dispatched to the accident site for recovery of dead body.

The deceased Wakil Khan was a native of Bada village in the Gadoon region. Until the filing of this report, the dead body had not yet been recovered.

Published in Dawn, November 22th, 2024