PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party chairman Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao has expressed his concern over what he called prejudiced attitude of the federal government in distribution of national resources and warned that if proper share is not given to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor the multibillion dollars project will be of no use for Pakhtuns.

He was addressing a press conference at his party’s secretariat at the University Town here on Friday. On this occasion, scores of people from different political parties, led by member Charsadda district council Abdur Rahman Khan of Nisata, joined QWP.

Mr Sherpao said that the rude attitude of the federal government was intolerable because Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was playing a major role in supply of natural gas and electricity but despite that its people had been subjected to prolonged power loadshedding.

He said that KP had offered matchless sacrifices in the fight against terrorism, but the rulers had failed to compensate the affected people. He said that it was a good opportunity with the centre to acknowledge sacrifices of Pakhtuns and strengthen federation by giving them due share in the CPEC and other national resources.

About ban on new gas connections and long power outages, the QWP chief said that these issues proved that the federal government was reluctant to give Pakhtuns their constitutional rights. He said that there was no ban on new gas connections in Punjab where PML-N was in power, but KP was kept deprived of such facilities.

“Our province is producing electricity and natural gas and its people have the right to avail of these facilities on priority,” he said.

Referring to growing unemployment in the province, he called for taking drastic steps to revive sick industrial units by supplying them gas and power on subsidised rates. He said that KP was also a federating unit of the country and the growing sense of deprivation might harm the unity.

Mr Sherpao also pressed the KP government to plead its case effectively and take all possible steps to get share in the national resources. He said that thousands of people in KP were facing multiple problems due to their blocked computerised national identity cards and Nadra was reluctant to open the CNICs despite instructions from a National Assembly committee. He said that because of this the people had been facing problems in buying property, drawing bank loans and offering umra and Haj.

He also called for early merger of Fata with KP to enable tribal people to fight for their rights in and out of parliament. Senior minister Sikandar Sherpao and MPA Bakht Baidar were also present on this occasion.

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2017