SHANGLA: The PPP provincial leaders have demanded that the government and security agencies take strict action against the MQM leader over anti-Pakistan diatribe.

The demand was made during a worker convention at the People’s House in Damorai here on Thursday.

The PPP activists from different parts of the district attended the function in large numbers.

Noted among speakers were PPP organising committee convener Humayun Khan, Senator Rubina Khalid, Noor Alam Khan, Dr Afsarulmulk Khan, Engineer Hamid Iqbal, district naib nazim Kamran Iqbal, Shangla action committee chairman Jawad Ali Noor, Zaidullah Khan, Ghulamullah Khan, Rahim Shah Khan, district councillor Ghreeb Gul and tehsil councillor Ajab Khan.

The PPP leaders said the government had ignored Shangla roads awaiting reconstruction or repairs for long though the local residents voted the PML-N candidates in elections.

They said the roads were in bad shape by and large to the inconvenience of the people.

Mr. Humayun Khan said the PPP was re-organising itself in the district and that it would form the next government in the centre and province by sweeping general elections.

He said the PPP government would address the people’s socioeconomic problems. “The PML-N government in the centre has miserably failed to deliver the goods,” he said. The PPP leader said the people were upset by the bad governance of the PML-N.

“We welcome those joining us and assure them we’ll fight for their rights,” he said.

Mr. Humayun said the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had pinned lots of expectations on the PTI government but the latter had failed to bring peace and development to the province.

He said the schools, hospitals and roads were in dilapidated condition all over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the misery of the people. The PPP leader criticised MQM leader Altaf Hussain over anti-Pakistan diatribes and said strict action should be taken against him.

Senator Rubina said Shangla and other parts of the province continued to be the stronghold of the PPP as the people trusted it as a party for themselves.

She said PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto along with sisters would visit Shangla soon. The senator said her party won’t allow the PML-N and other parties to rig the next elections to claim victory.

“I assure you that we’ll win the next general elections,” he said.

Mr. Noor Alam said Shangla lacked civic amenities to the people’s misery as the local lawmakers had literally abandoned it.

Earlier, former local PTI president Bakht Afsar announced he had joined the PPP along with 240 supporters and sympathisers.

Many other political activists also announced the joining of the party.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2016