MARDAN: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has threatened not to allow the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor route to pass through his province if the federal government changed its original plan. He also demanded of the centre to give Khyber Pakhtunkhwa its due share in electricity production.

He was addressing a public meeting at the residence of industrialist Faisal Saleem-ur-Rehman here on Sunday.

On the occasion, Saleem Rehman and Umar Masood Rehman along with family members announced to join the PTI.

Provincial Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Mohammad Atif Khan, PTI lawmakers, including Iftikhar Mashwani, Tufail Anjum, Mujahid Khan, Zahid Durani, Ubaid Mayar, Shah Farman and other important figures were in attendance.

The chief minister said they would resist any change in the initial plan of the CPEC.

Mr Khattak claimed that they had laid foundation of good governance in the province and positive change had taken place.

“We have abolished thana and patwari culture and people can now register online FIR in police stations,” he said, adding no one could now register a wrong FIR against anyone. “Neither chief minister nor any MPA can transfer even a police constable on his own choice from one place to another,” he maintained.

The chief minister said the provincial government had introduced Right to Information Act, Right to Public Services Act and other legislations for ensuring good governance.

Mr Khattak said the PTI-led coalition government had been taking measures to strengthen institutions as it was a must for development.

“We have brought revolutionary changes in education sector,” he said, adding that biometric system of attendance had been introduced in departments. He said the provincial government had taken action against over 5,000 education officers and teachers for absenting duty.

He said his government had appointed 10,000 teachers through NTS system. He said that gone were the days when corrupt politicians and government officials plundered national wealth and got away with it. “No one can escape accountability,” he said, adding those who had become millionaires and billionaires would be taken to count.

Regarding excessive loadshedding in the province, he said the KP government was going to hold talks with the federal government on May 28 in this regard.

He said they had already held first round of talks with the central government in this connection, and had asked the federal government to give 14 per cent share in electricity production to KP.

Mr Khattak said the reason KP had been sustaining excessive loadshedding was that the centre had not been giving electricity to the province as per its due share.

Mr Khattak claimed that the provincial government had devolved powers to the grass roots level by holding local government elections in the province.

He said Rs40 to Rs45 billion would be spent on development schemes under the local government system across the province.

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2015

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