CHARSADDA: Qaumi Watan Party chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao on Saturday urged the federal and provincial governments to put aside their political interests and work together for the elimination of terrorism from the country.

He said this while addressing a gas project’s inauguration ceremony in Shabqadar area here.

Mr Sherpao demanded judicial inquiry into the recent terrorist attack on the Agriculture Training Institute Peshawar and said the inquiry’s findings should be made public.

Says govt has miserably failed to protect public life, property

He criticised the government for poor law and order situation in the country and asked the government to make effective policies to protect public life and property.

The QWP chairman said the law-enforcement personnel and people had rendered huge sacrifices in the fight against terrorism but the government was not serious about their welfare.

He said the government had miserably failed to protect the people against terrorism.

Mr Sherpao demanded the immediate integration of Fata with KP.

“Fata should be merged with KP before the 2018 general elections so that the tribal people can have representation in the national and provincial assemblies,” he said.

The QWP chief also demanded the abolition of the Frontier Crimes Regulation enforced in Fata and said the local residents should be given the rights enjoyed by other citizens of the country.

He said KP would become the second largest province in the country after Fata’s merger with it and thus, ending the prolonged exploitation of tribal people.

Mr Sherpao said the people of Fata had been denied development in all sectors though they’d rendered huge sacrifices for the country.

He said agriculture sector was the backbone of national economy and therefore, growers should be empowered to ensure the sector’s sustainable growth.

The QWP chief said unfortunately, the problems of farmers were fast increasing due to the poor policies of the government.

He demanded an immediate end to ban on the import of sugarcane from Afghanistan.

Mr Sherpao said the QWP would continue supporting the Palestinian cause.

He urged the US government to review its decision to accept Jerusalem as Israeli capital to end unrest in the Muslim world.

The QWP chairman said the US move was a sheer violation of international law and the UN Security Council resolution on Palestinian conflict and would increase anti-American sentiments in the world.

Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2017