CHARSADDA: Qaumi Watan Party chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao has condemned the suicide blast in Dera Ismail Khan that left PTI candidate Ikramullah Gnadpur dead and several others injured.

Addressing an election rally in Kanewar here on Sunday, he said that government should devise an effective strategy to uproot terrorism. He said that terrorism played havoc with the lives of the people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and erstwhile Fata.

Expressing his heartfelt sympathies with the families of the deceased and wounded people, Mr Sherpao said the bloodshed caused serious unrest among the people of the country.

He said that maintaining law and order and holding free and fair elections were the two key responsibilities of the caretaker government. “All the political parties and stakeholders should jointly work to take unified stand against terrorists to restore peace and ensure safety of the lives and properties of the people” he added.

The QWP chief expressed concerns over the recent incidents of terrorism and said that caretaker government should take effective steps to control the menace and provide protection to the politicians to for running the election campaign.

He said that Pakhtuns rendered numerous sacrifices in the war against terrorism but they were not rewarded that increased the sense of deprivation among them.

He said that QWP would leave no stone unturned to address the grievances of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa needed an honest leadership for its welfare that could steer the province out of the existing problems.

Mr Sherpao expressed his grave concerns over the unannounced and excessive power loadshedding in parts of the province. He said that electricity outrages in the hot season had made the lives of people miserable.

He said that his party would fight for the rights of Pakhtuns and would raise voice at every platform against exploitation of the people of the province. He added that QWP would emerge as the only representative party of Pakhtuns in the general elections.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2018