PESHAWAR: The leaders of Awami National Party criticised the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf for what they called its failure to fulfil its commitments with people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and said that its claim about ‘change’ was mere a slogan to dodge the people.

They were addressing an event organised by Pakistan Railways Employees Union at Peshawar Press Club on Monday. ANP provincial deputy secretary Aimal Wali Khan and former provincial minister Syed Aqil Shah and Barrister Arshad Abdullah addressed the event wherein the union was affiliated with ANP.

Airmal Wali Khan said that the PTI provincial government failed to bring any change in the fate of the people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said that PTI also failed to get due share for the province in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project.

Mr Khan said that PTI always remained busy in ‘sit-ins’ during the last four and half year, but it failed to bring any change in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. No single mega development project was launched in province so far, he said.

The ANP leader said that the green belts on the road were uprooted to launch rapid bus transport project in Peshawar. He added that PTI chairman Imran Khan always called the metro bus as ‘jangla’ bus in Lahore and Islamabad, but his party government was launching the same project in the provincial capital that double standard politics of the party.

Mr Khan said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was ignored in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project. He said that PTI government had failed to raise voice for getting rights for Pakhtuns.

Without naming Pakistan Peoples Party, the ANP leader said that people were dancing during public gathering on 50 years celebrations of a party. He said that ANP was more than 100 years old political party, but its leaders had never acted in that way.

Mr Khan also criticised federal government for using delaying tactics in merger of Federally Administered Tribal Areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said that Fata people were deprived of all basic rights owing to imposition of FCR. He demanded immediate merger of Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Syed Aqil Shah said that ANP always raised voice for rights of Pakhtuns and also took credit for passage the 18th Amendment that ensured more autonomy to all federation units. He added that share of provinces was increased in the federal divisible pool and National Finance Commission award.

Arshad Abdullah also spoke on the occasion and recounted the achievements of the previous provincial government of ANP. Earlier, Syed Jaffari, the chief organiser of the union, and divisional president Jahangir Khan announced affiliation of the union with ANP.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2017