PESHAWAR: Awami National Party provincial president Ameer Haider Khan Hoti on Friday stressed that the national census should be conducted after merging Fata into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Addressing a workers convention in PK-11 constituency here on Friday, he criticised the federal government for focusing only on Punjab, saying that Pakistan was not just Punjab.

He said due share of other provinces in mega projects like China-Pakistan Economic Corridor should be ensured.

He vowed to continue raising the issue to ensure that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa got its due share in the CPEC.

Mr Hoti said the PTI provincial government was blaming the ANP for the mess it (PTI) had created in the province. “The PTI doesn’t let any opportunity go waste to criticise ANP,” he added.

“Whether it is issue of law and order or employment for youth, PTI has failed to fulfill its promises,” said Mr Hoti, also refuting the provincial government’s claims of rooting out corruption in the province. In the last three years’ rule, PTI has not arrested any big fish, he added.

On the contrary, Mr Hoti said ANP during its five-year rule was faced with tough time due to terrorism.

Not only the ANP government established its writ, but also it was quite successful in developing the province, he added.

He claimed that his party had proved it was the only political force that safeguarded the rights of KP.

The ANP lost around 800 party workers in war against terrorism but it did not bow down and continued with its people’s friendly agenda, the former chief minister claimed, saying ANP was the follower of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, the torch-bearer of peace and non-violence.

Published in Dawn January 28th, 2017