MANSEHRA: Pakistan Peoples Party provincial president Humayun Khan on Friday said the Rs10 billion development package announced by Prime Minister Imran Khan for Hazara division ahead of the PK-30 Mansehra by-election was a gross violation of the Election Act, 2017.

“The prime minister knows that by-elections are going to be held in PK-30 Mansehra, but even then, he approved Rs10 billion development package for Hazara division blatantly violating the election law,” Mr Humayun told a news conference here, where office-bearers of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz were also in attendance.

PPP leaders Shuja Salim Khan and district president Malik Abdul Waheed and PML-N leader Qasim Shah and district presidentZafar Mehmood were also present on the occasion.

Mr Humayun said he had come to the area to support PML-N candidate for PK-30 seat Mazhar Ali Qasim against Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf nominee Ahmad Hussain Shah.

He said the opposition parties unanimously supported the candidate, who remained runner-up in general elections last year, and therefore, they jointly fielded election candidates in Shangla, Swat, Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan.

“The opposition parties, including PPP, PML-N, ANP and JUI-F, unanimously think that the Imran Khan government is dangerous for the country and therefore, they have fielded joint candidates for by-elections like Mansehra’s,” he said.

The PML-N leaders criticised the PTI-led federal and provincial governments for ‘using their machinery to campaign for the ruling party’s nominee for the Feb 26 by-polls.

CLEARING OF SNOW: District nazim of Mansehra Sardar Said Ghulam has said the communication and works department has begun clearing snow from roads in remote parts of the district.

“I visited Konsh and Siren valleys and found many link roads to be blocked and therefore, the communication and works department has begun removing snow from those roads,” the nazim told reporters on Friday.

He said upper parts of Mansehra district had received record snowfall since the start of the winter season.

“The district administration has been put on high alert to cope with any untoward situation,” he said.

The nazim said electric supply to Siren and Konsh valleys suspended due to snowfall had been restored.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2019