CHARSADDA: Qaumi Watan Party chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao said on Saturday that only strong communication system could boost the country’s economy and demanded of the federal government to start work on the western route of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) on priority basis.

He also called for establishment of industrial zones and other uplift projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa so that poverty and unemployment could be controlled.

Addressing a public meeting after inaugurating a road in Tangi here, the QWP chief said that his party wanted construction of a better communication system in the province so as to give easy access to the traders to transport their agricultural and industrial products to the provincial, national and international markets.

Mr Sherpao said that the federal government should give due importance to the western route of the multi-billion CPEC project and construct economic opportunity zones in different parts of the militancy-hit province.

Sherpao says delaying tactics not to be tolerated

He said that QWP would show strong resistance if the incumbent government used delaying tactics in giving KP its due share.

He said that the Fata Reforms Committee had visited all agencies of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas to seek suggestions and recommendations of the tribesmen, and now it should speed up work on the reforms process to bring sustainable and durable peace and economic prosperity to the tribal belt.

He asked the government to announce a sizeable financial package to compensate the internally displaced persons and bring Fata at par with developed areas of the country.

Party’s provincial chairman Sikandar Sherpao and provincial secretary information Tariq Ahmad Khan were also present on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2016