NOWSHERA: Pakistan People’s Party provincial president Khanzada Khan believes that the PTI’s planned march on Islamabad on August 14 is aimed to hide its failure to fulfill promises it made with the masses before the 2013 general elections.

“People had voted PTI to power to bring change, but unfortunately, the party has failed to keep its word made with people during general election,” said Khanzada Khan while talking to mediapersons at the residence of former provincial minister Laiqat Shabab during an Iftar party. PPP leaders Hamayun Khan, Rahimdad Khan, Mian Feroz, Jamal Shah Kakakhel, Main Yahya Shah and others were also in attendance.

Mr Khanzada said that it wasn’t yet decided if intra-party elections would be held or not, adding that a few people couldn’t impose their decisions on the party.

Meetings on security ‘evolve strategy’ for PTI march

The PPP leader called upon the provincial and central governments to extend maximum support to the internally displaced people of North Waziristan at this critical time of their lives. “PPP leaders visited the IDPs camps and saw that the tribal people, especially children and women, were facing great hardships,” he added.

Meanwhile, Awami National Party provincial general secretary Mian Iftekhar Hussain condemned what he said conspiracies being hatched against democracy.

“It is surprising that some elected representatives are trying to derail the democratic process in the country in violation of the mandate given to them by the people, said Mr Hussain while addressing a ceremony held in connection with the fourth death anniversary of his son, Mian Rashid Hussain at Pabbi.

Regarding the ongoing military operation in Waziristan, he said people should extend full support to Pakistan Army against militants. “Those who are opposing the military operation are against the democracy and Pak army,” he added.

He caution people to be vigilant as mostly terrorists had entered settled areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in guise of IDPs.

He asked the PTI to serve people, particularly suffering IDPs, instead of planning to march on Islamabad.

He said that the government should start census of IDPs as their number had reached about one million while total population of North Waziristan was about 300,000.

Mian Iftikhar said that the previous ANP government in the province had developed a workable mechanism for look after of about 2.5 million IDPs during the Swat operation.

He appreciated the KP police for rendering matchless sacrifices during the war against terrorism.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2014