PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on Thursday rejected the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and opposition’s criticism of the Pakistan-China Economic Corridor agreements and claimed the multi-billion dollar project would benefit the entire country.

PML-N leader and adviser to the prime minister Engineer Amir Muqam told reporters here at Wapda House that the proposed economic corridor would start in the country from the Karakorum Highway, which would be linked to Swat district.

He said Swat was 70 kilometers away from the route and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had already approved it.

“I belong to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and will fight for the rights of its people and those living in Fata if he see any injustice on part of the federal government in this regard,” he said.

Muqam said the credit of Chinese president’s visit and the bilateral agreements went to the PML-N leadership and that they would benefit the entire nation.

Muqam insists multi-billion dollar project will benefit entire country

He announced the establishment of complaint offices by posting senior officials at the level of different Wapda circles in the province to resolve the consumers’ problems.

The PML-N leader said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would get its 13 percent share in development funds from the federal government but the PTI-led provincial government was unable to spend the money.

He said the provincial government had failed to spend funds for the development of underdeveloped areas and therefore, 70 percent of the funds lapsed last year.

Muqam added that the government failed to spend even 20 percent of the development funds.

He said he had ordered the opening of all eight workshops in Peshawar, Chakdara, Havelian, Bannu and other stations for repairs of power transformers to facilitate consumers in the province.

The PML-N leader said the deficiency of staff would be removed by recruiting different staff members, including meter readers, to ensure regular meter reading and correct billing.

He said there was no discrimination against any province as for the duration of power loadshedding.

Muqam came hard on the PTI and its provincial government, saying Imran Khan had announced construction of 360 dams in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but he had so far failed to sink even a single well.

He said after the approval of 18th constitutional amendment, the provincial government was authorised to build dams and powerhouses to overcome power outages but it was unable to do so.

Referring to demonstrations against loadshedding by PTI lawmakers, the PML-N leader said attacking grid stations and damaging Wapda installations was vandalism and misuse of power.

He said the provincial government supported power thieves and encouraged illegal power users.

“The PTI government is bound to register FIRs against power thieves and those damaging Wapda installations instead of supporting them,” he said.

Muqam said the PML-N had accepted the PTI’s mandate in the province and didn’t topple its government but the PTI government didn’t live up to the people’s expectations.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2015

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