PESHAWAR, May 18: Opposition parties in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are cynical about the upcoming Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf-led coalition government’s ability to efficiently govern the violence-hit province and say restoration of peace and implementation of election manifestos will be the real challenges for the future rulers.

Partners of the future political dispensation in the province, PTI, Qaumi Watan Party and Jamaat-i-Islami, have promised to overcome terrorism, power loadshedding, corruption, unemployment and inflation in their respective election manifestos after coming to power and now after the May 11 elections, the people anxiously wait for them to deliver on their promises.

“Though our mandate has been snatched from us under a very well-organised way despite our sacrifices during the past five years, even then we appreciate the formation of the coalition government hoping that it will overcome terrorism and other issues,” Awami National Party leader and former information minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain told Dawn on Friday.

The ANP leader said his party believed that the elections were engineered but still it accepted the results in the best interests of the nation and democracy and in the hope that the coalition parties would fulfil their commitments to restore peace, overcome unemployment, control prices and ease energy crisis.

Mr Hussain said partners of the future ruling coalition must realise that the people of the province have rendered great sacrifices for peace and everyone wants the new government to completely eliminate terrorism instead of ignoring the terrorists’ activities that Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal did during its rule.

“Any artificial silence of the Taliban will prove fatal in future if the government doesn’t take drastic action against them,” he warned.

The ANP leader said if peace was restored, then the economy would revive and thus, leading the country to progress.

Also, Pakistan People’s Party provincial coordination secretary Syed Ayub Shah recalled the claims of the partners of the new ruling coalition in the province and said the people were impatiently waiting for the promised model government to emerge in the violence-stricken province.

“This new government will be good for the people if it starts implementing its agenda to eradicate terrorism, corruption, loadshedding and patwari culture, reforming police and strengthening the local government system,” he said.

The PPP leader said all issues faced by the province needed firm commitment on part of the new government for resolution as the local residents had badly suffered from militancy, power crisis, joblessness and inflation.

Pakistan Muslim League-Q provincial general secretary Intikhab Chamkani said the new political dispensation would have to face many challenges and the provincial government could be a test case for PTI chief Imran Khan’s political career.

“If PTI delivers, it will be the largest party in future otherwise it will lose even its current position,” the PML-Q leader said, adding that only time would tell if the future government proved its worth.

Mr Chamkani said PTI had raised voice on issues like the US drone attacks, corruption and youth problems but it had the chance to prove its sincerity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa otherwise none of the new parties with attractive slogans could get public attention in future.

PML-N provincial general secretary Rehmat Salam Khattak also said the maximum of members of the provincial assembly were inexperienced and they would soon develop differences with each others on different issues.

“Imran says the government will not release funds to the members, then how they will work and maintain their vote bank in respective constituencies is beyond my understanding. The government will have to face serious challenges,” he said.

He said Imran had always raised voice against drone attacks and Nato supply but the real test would begin for he formed the government in the province.

The PML-N leader said Jamaat-i-Islami and QWP leaders were experienced and would try to get the maximum benefits from the government and if the PTI people did not work properly, then their party wouldn’t win the future polls.

“We are waiting for PTI to fulfil its commitment by demolishing walls of Governor’s House, Chief Minister’s House and Speaker’s House to establish public welfare institutions there,” said Abdul Jalil Jan, spokesman for JUI-F. He said easing loadshedding, controlling inflation and restoring peace were some big challenges for the PTI government in the province.

“We expect no good from the PTI government. The nomination of former provincial minister Pervez Khattak as the chief minister and ignoring old guards is negation of Imran Khan’s claim to bring about change,” he said.