MINGORA: People here have demanded of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan to pick one of the party’s MPAs-elect from Swat as chief minister as PTI had registered a clean sweep in the district with eight MPAs and three MNAs elected in the July 25 general elections.

They said that people in Swat unanimously cast their votes in favour of PTI.

“This time PTI won all the provincial assembly as well as National Assembly seats from Swat district. This is why it is the right of people of Swat that the next CM should be from Swat,” said Izhar Ullah Khan, a PTI activist in Saidu Sharif.

Other people also expressed similar views and said that in the previous elections PTI had won six provincial assembly and two National Assembly seats from Swat, but unfortunately the party high-ups sidelined the valley in bestowing it any important ministry.

“After the previous elections, the PTI elders neglected Swat as neither the chief executive nor speaker was made from the district,” said Daud Khan, a resident of Mingora.

They said that people of Swat gave heavy mandate to PTI for the second consecutive time and they expected that the PTI chief would appoint chief minister from Swat.

“We have qualified and experienced politicians from PTI in Swat who delivered better than others in the party. Now it is the responsibility of PTI leadership to show respect to the people of Swat in return,” said Haseebullah, a youth activist, adding that if Swat was neglected the people here would record their protest.

They said that Swat witnessed harsh times in the recent past and was badly affected by militancy and floods, but no mega project was initiated in the valley either by provincial or federal government.

“No solid steps were taken for reconstruction of the devastated infrastructure in Swat in the previous government. The road from Chakdara to Mingora and then to Madyan is still in bad shape while the road from Bahrain to Kalam is in worst condition due to which tourism remained unstable,” said Gulzar Khan, a resident of Kalam.

The people also showed concern over the silence of elected representatives from Swat and said that they should raise voice for due rights of the district.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2018