PESHAWAR: Former president and PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari said here on Tuesday that PTI did nothing for the Pakhtuns during the first two years of its government in the province.

Addressing a PPP workers convention, he said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government failed to deliver despite having majority in the province. “The tsunami emerged from Karachi but lost effect in Punjab and Balochistan. So how it (tsunami) reached Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, we know that,” said Mr Zardari.

The PPP leader took credit for changing the name of the province from NWFP to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “No one had the courage to change the name of the province which was a decades-old demand of the Pakhtuns” he said.

Mr Zardari said that PPP accepted the identity of Pakhtun nation and awarded name to their province of their choice.

The party workers chanted slogans in favour of their leader. The convention was held at the residence of PPP leader Arbab Alamgir Khan.

The workers convention was also addressed by former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, PPP provincial president Khanzada Khan, Arbab Alamgir and other leaders of the party.

Says laws being introduced in KP just to trap opponents

In the light of 18th Amendment, all provinces were awarded their due rights, Mr Zardari said. “Now it is up to the governments of the respective provinces that how they achieve their rights being ensured in the Constitution by PPP. We hadn’t accepted the results of the previous general elections, but remained silent for the survival of democracy,” he added.

Alluding to the nature of politics of PTI chief Imran Khan, the PPP leader said that politics was not like a cricket match. There was a big different in them, he added.

Mr Zardari said the PTI-led provincial government promulgated some laws just to trap the opponents. “I went to the prisons and remained there for 12 years. What you (Imran Khan) will do. Even you cannot drink the water available in prisons,” Mr Zardari said. There was a big difference in running a government and heading a cricket team, he said.

The PPP leader said that PTI was unable to generate one megawatt electricity in its tenure though it had claimed to construct many dams in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The promises made by PTI about constructing dams were unrealistic, he added.

Mr Zardari said that PPP stood with the people of tribal areas and would raise voice for their rights at all forums. He said that the vehicle of PPP leader was attacked a few days ago in Fata. “The enemy is afraid of our power. I want to convey them that no one can silent us through atrocities,” he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Yousuf Raza Gilani said that during the PPP government, all powers were transferred to parliament to prove that only parliament was superior.

He said that the 1973 Constitution was restored in its original shape and democracy was upheld in the country. The previous government of PPP strengthened the institutions as differences couldn’t be ended in the country until strengthening its institutions, he said.

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2015

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