SWABI: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa president of Awami National Party Ameer Haider Khan Hoti said here on Thursday that Pakhtuns needed unity in the present complex environment so they could get rights for themselves and their younger generation.

Addressing the party workers in Topi city, Kalabat and Zaobai, Mr Hoti said that compared with the other regions of the country the Pakhtun terrains had been facing numerous problems and if the people failed to forge unity they would experience more complicated problems in the days to come.

He said that Pakhtuns should follow the non-violence philosophy of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan who had rendered various sacrifices for them.

He urged the party activists to work with devotion and remain in contact with the people keeping in view the next general elections.

Mr Hoti alleged that due to wrong priorities the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had been facing financial difficulties.

He said that several projects announced or initiated by the PTI-led government could not be completed during its tenure owing to the financial crisis.

Further deterioration in financial position of the province could not be ruled out, he said, adding that such difficulties exposed the weakness and failure of the government.

The former chief minister criticised the PTI-led government for announcing projects that it could not complete.

He said that empty claims and hollow slogans were made to acquire power, but the people would reject such tactics in next elections.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2017