KOHAT: Independent MPA from KP-80 Amjid Afridi and his father, Senator Shamim Afridi, have announced to join the Pakistan Peoples Party.

They made the announcement at a press conference held at Azeem Bagh here on Wednesday.

PPP provincial vice-president Ayub Khan, member central executive committee Azam Afridi, district president Rauf Khan, and large number of office-bearers and workers were present on the occasion.

Amjid Afridi, the three-time independent MPA, and his father announced to contest the future general elections from the platform of PPP as part of the opposition Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).

Amjid Afridi said that he had joined ANP after he won the first elections, then the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, and now would contest elections from the platform of PDM.

He said 2,000 electricity poles and 127 transformers lying with Pesco were not being installed and energised.

He said he had been raising the issue at meetings of the power division, but to no avail.

The independent MPA disclosed that Rs30 million for power and gas schemes had lapsed due to stay orders obtained by the local MNA and MPA.

On the occasion, Senator Shamim Afridi claimed the PPP had fulfilled its promise of providing bread, clothing and housing to the downtrodden. Similarly, he said thousands of people, including women, were benefiting from Benazir Income Support Programme.

He said they had blocked the gas supply to Punjab to pressure the government to resolve the low gas pressure problem. He said 50 kilometres pipelines had been laid, but gas was supplied to Faisalabad.

The meeting was also called to review arrangements for a scheduled public rally at the football ground in Babri Banda by PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

FARMERS SEEK IRRIGATION WATER: The farmers have demanded opening of spillways of the Tanda Dam to save the wheat and vegetables crops cultivated on thousands of acres of land due to long dry spell.

In separate statements on Wednesday, local growers’ body president Altaf Khan and social worker Shakir Bangash said the dam irrigated 32,000 acres of agricultural land through canals which had gone dry.

They feared that if the water was not released they would sustain huge losses. They said thousands of farmers were dependent on agriculture for subsistence.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2021