SWABI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf here has launched a protest campaign against the federal government of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz under the slogan ‘Swabi Ko Gas Do’ (give gas facility to Swabi).

In this connection, the PTI leaders, led by MNA Aqibullah Khan, addressed a gathering here and the workers chanted slogans against the federal government for banning new gas connections.

The speakers said that the campaign was aimed at informing the people of the double standards of the federal government and PML-N leaders who wanted to damage the PTI’s position in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

They said that the PTI leaders were not being allowed to serve the masses while the PML-N leaders, including Amir Muqam, inaugurated a gas supply project in Razaar tehsil on Feb 10.

“We will not allow the PML-N leaders to fulfil their negative mission,” said Mr Aqibullah. He claimed that the people had rejected the PML-N leaders who were now running the anti-PTI drive and using the assets of SNGPL.

Former district president Rangaiz Khan said that the ban policy was relaxed for the PML-N leaders so as to get political mileage. “We are being victimised by the federal government,” he said.

Anwar Haqdad, PTI district president, alleged that during the second government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif the gas pipes were shifted from Swabi to the Abbottabad constituency of retired captain Mohammad Safdar.

Meanwhile, KP Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, senior minister Shahram Khan Tarakai and MPA Shaukat Yousafzai told a public meeting here on Thursday that they had brought changes in several departments, which had been felt by the people.

The meeting was organised for Wazir Mohammad family who quit ANP and joined PTI. Mr Qaiser claimed that they had adopted result-oriented policies.

SUSPECTS HELD: The police have arrested 120 suspects from different parts of the district in a search operation on Thursday.

Swabi DSP Azhar Shah told media persons that the operation was conducted in Maneri, Saleem Khan, Pirtab Banda, Zaida, Maini, Panjpir and Shahmansoor regions.

Answering a question, he claimed that the suspects included some people who were arrested for providing assistance to militants. He said that during the operation about 100 houses were also searched.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2017