NOWSHERA: Qaumi Watan Party chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao has denied joining the federal government, saying that the party had ideological differences with the ruling PML-N.

“The news is not based on reality. We have strong reservations over the policies of the federal government regarding rights of the province, displaced people of North Waziristan and provision of provincial resources,” said Mr Sherpao while talking to mediapersons at the residence of PPP information secretary Liaqat Shabab here on Saturday.

QWP provincial chief Sikandar Sherpao, district chief Waliur Rehman and others were also in attendance.

He condemned the PTI sit-in at Islamabad, saying that it had badly affected the country’s economy. He claimed that postponement of the visit of Chinese president and high-level delegations from Maldives and Qatar to Pakistan due to the protests in Islamabad had earned a bad name for the country at the international level.

Mr Sherpao said that though protest was right of every political party in a democratic system, but Imran Khan’s demand of prime minister’s resignation was unrealistic.

He said that Imran Khan should end his agitation especially after his main demand of formation of commission for electoral reforms had been accepted. He said that if it was proved that the 2013 elections were rigged then no opposition party would accept the government of Nawaz Sharif.

The QWP chief asked Imran Khan to return to parliament and play role in strengthening democracy.

He also asked the prime minister to control loadshedding, price hike and over-billing to avoid public wrath.

Mr Sherpao said that rigging also took place during general elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which benefited the PTI candidates.

He said that Imran Khan should first make Khyber Pakhtunkhwa a model province than think about making a new Pakistan.

Mr Sherpao said that about 7,000 posts of teachers were vacant in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but the provincial government was still claiming that it had reformed the education sector in the province.

He said that there was no government in the province as targeted killings and kidnappings for ransom had increased with the day.

He said that skilled and professional people like professors, doctors and industrialists were leaving Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to poor law and order.

KIDNAPPED MAN FOUND DEAD: The body of an owner of a CNG pump, who was kidnapped from Pabbi a month ago, was found at Bara Shiekhan area of Khyber Agency on Saturday.

Police said that unknown persons had kidnapped Haji Jahangir and demanded Rs20 million ransom for his safe release.

A relative of the deceased told Dawn that they were informed by the kidnappers to take body of Jahangir.

Police said that the main was buried in his ancestral Taru Jabba locality.

The deceased was brother of Pervez Khan, ex-chairman of Pabbi union council.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2014