SHANGLA: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has said that certain political elements are using religious card against the federal government that reflects their state of desperation.

Addressing a public gathering in Bisham here on Thursday, he said that JUI-F did not have the strength to march on Islamabad. He said that people understood the real intentions of those people and would not allow them to succeed.

On this occasion, ANP leader Saeed Farin Shah announced to quit his party and join the ruling PTI. ANP former nominee for National Assembly seat Haji Sadeedur Rehman and former nazim of PML-N Mujeeb also announced to join PTI.

Mahmood Khan says JUI-F lacks strength to march on Islamabad

The chief minister said that weak foreign policy of Nawaz Sharif during the previous government of PML-N harmed the country at every international forum. “Despite facing challenges at international level during the PML-N government, Nawaz Sharif did not bother to even appoint a foreign minister,” he added.

He said that people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa firmly supported the stance of Imran Khan, who successfully fought the case of Kashmiris in the United Nations General Assembly.

The chief minister said that the dynamic leadership of Imran Khan was strengthening the stance of Pakistan at international forums as the world recognised the role of the country for maintaining peace in the region.

He said that the looters and plunderers of the national wealth were put behind bars. He added that accountability of corrupt political mafias would take place at any cost.

Commenting on the ongoing strike by doctors, the chief minister said that reforms in the health sector were aimed at serving people of the province. He said that government could not be blackmailed by a handful of government servants, who wanted to serve their own interests. He added that District and Regional Health Authorities Act would be implemented to benefit people.

“The government wants to ensure availability of doctors and medicines in the remote areas of the province for which reforms in the health sector are of paramount importance,” said Mr Khan

He said that government was not privatising the health sector and nor did it intended to deprive anyone of job. “We are working on reforms and the recent regularisation of 28,000 employees of Khasadar and Levies forces in the tribal districts along with the regularisation of more than 9,000 special police force personnel in the province are evidence that government is working for providing jobs to people,” he added.

The chief minister said that Rs1 billion would be spent on development projects and other uplift activities in Shangla. He also announced a grant of Rs1 million for Bisham Press Club along with construction of playground in Bisham.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2019