PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on Sunday asked the people not to forget the poor and the destitute in their surroundings on Eid days and share joys of the festival with them.

In an Eidul Azha message, the chief minister said the people displaced from Fata and staying in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa needed the people and government’s attention and assistance.

He said it was everyone’s religious and national obligation to help IDPs on the auspicious occasion.

Says govt striving to stop resources from going to waste

“Eidul Azha is in fact the day to reiterate love for humanity and follow the spirit of sacrifice. The day asks us to seek the blessing of Almighty Allah and share the grieves and sufferings of others by sacrificing own dear things,” he said.

The chief minister said besides having meagre financial resources, the province also faced the big challenges of terrorism, poverty and unemployment.

He also complained of the centre’s unfair attitude towards the province and said the federal government usurped the provincial government’s rights.

Khattak said denial of rights, failure to explore and use natural resources and backwardness were the main reasons of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa lagging behind other provinces in the race of development.

He, however, said the PTI-led government in the province was making every effort to stop resources from going to waste and to free the society from corruption.

The chief minister said his government’s measures for good governance would bring about a positive change in the system and thus, improving the lot of the people.

He said the government had tried its best to provide relief to IDPs from Fata and would continue doing so until their rehabilitation.

Khattak asked the rich people not to forget the poor and helpless people in their neighbourhoods and share Eid joys with them, which, he said, was the real philosophy of Eidul Azha.

While giving Eid greetings to overseas Pakistanis, especially those performing Haj, he appealed to them to offer special prayers for the country’s integrity, stability and peace, and the people’s prosperity.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2014