NOWSHERA: Former provincial information minister and Awami National Party leader Mian Iftikhar Hussain has said that people are closing down their businesses because of the increasing incidents of extortion in Peshawar, urging the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to provide security to the business community.

“The provincial government has failed to improve the law and order situation and the business community is shifting their businesses from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to increasing incidents of extortion, particularly in Peshawar,” he said while addressing ‘Meet the Press’ programme at Pabbi Press Club here on Wednesday.

He said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was passing through a critical situation while on the one side there was the government of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, on other Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz had appointed its own provincial governor.

About the shifting of Ajmal Khan Technical College by Chief Minister Pervez Khattak from PK-12, he said that the chief minister had done nothing for people of the region so far and only inaugurated the development projects of the previous government.

Mr Hussain claimed that PTI chief Imran Khan had expressed his willingness to allow opening of the outlawed Taliban office in Peshawar as his party had formed government in the province with their support. “Taliban have started moving into the suburbs of Peshawar, including Waris road and other areas at night,” he said.

He said that they were supporting the ongoing negotiation process, but would not accept conspiracy in the name of peace talks.

The ANP leader warned that civil war could start in the country if the government-Taliban negotiations failed. The ANP-led previous government had restored peace in Malakand division and Swat, he said and claimed that now the terrorists had once again started their movement in Buner.

He predicted that friends of Imran Khan would change their loyalty with the passage of time.

He appreciated Afghanistan for holding peaceful elections and said that peace in Pakistan was linked with situation in the neighbouring.

Answering a question, he said, “I don’t know the logic behind the demand of new Jamaat-i-Islami emir Sirajul Haq about separate assembly for women.” He said that after that Mr Haq might demand separate Pakistan for them.

About the coming local government elections, he claimed that the tripartite alliance comprising the JUI-F, ANP and PPP would sweep the polls in Nowshera.

Pabbi Press Club president Abbas Khan and other office-bearers were also present on the occasion.