SWABI, May 22: Speaker-designate of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf provincial president Asad Qaisar has said that the PTI-led government plans seven model cities at divisional level in the province.

Talking to Dawn here, he said that the seven divisions of province where model cities would be built included Peshawar, Bannu, Kohat, Dera Ismail Khan, Mardan, Malakand and Hazara.

He said that they wanted to provide adequate education and health facilities in these model cities and the same to be presented as a model to the other parts of the province.

“We have planned to provide facilities of international standard in these cities,” he said.

However, he said that it did mean that the remaining areas in these divisions would be ignored. “We will not shatter the expectations of people who voted the PTI into power while supporting the philosophy of ‘Naya Pakistan’ of Imran Khan.

Mr Qaisar said that the PTI government had a long-term plan for the provision of health and modern education services to the people and once the youth were equipped with modern education they would be able to easily excel in different fields.

“Our plan is to motivate the youth to get quality education, which is panacea for all the ills,” he said and that the government would make serious efforts to introduce result-oriented reforms in the education sector.

Answering a question, Mr Qaisar said that he was offered key ministerial slots, but he settled for the Speaker’s job because the decision in this connection was made by PTI chairman Imran Khan.

He said that the delicate issue of militancy would be tactfully handled by the PTI leadership. “We have the capability to handle such delicate issues with diplomatic skills. Once we assume power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa the people would see how we deliver,” he said.

Mr Qaisar, who owns Quaid-i-Azam Group of schools and colleges, would retain his election from PK-35 and vacate the NA-13 seat. It was the first time that he had won in general elections.

The people of Swabi district have attached great expectations with the upcoming PTI government and Mr Qaisar. The Awami National Party that always dominated the district politics was rejected by Swabi people for the first time in May 11 general elections.