PESHAWAR: The opposition Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) has criticised the federal government over ‘failure’ to honour its pledges made with the people of the merged tribal districts at the time of their region’s merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and said it would support the residents’ Oct 11 protest in Orakzai tribal district for resolution to their demands.

“It seems that the government has no plan for the development of tribal districts,” QWP provincial chairman Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao told a delegation of the Mamozai Qaumi Ittehad at the party’s secretariat here on Monday.

The visitors were led by general secretary of the organisation Sher Wali Khan Orakzai.

According to a statement issued here, the QWP provincial chief assured the delegates that his party’s leaders and workers would participate in the Oct 11 sit-in.

He supported the demands of the Mamozai Qaumi Ittehad and asked the government to take steps to address the grievances of the people of tribal districts.

Mr Sikandar said the PTI government had reneged on the pledges made to the people of tribal districts at the time of the Fata-KP merger.

“It seems that the government has no plan or vision to work for the development of the merged tribal districts,” he said.

The QWP leader said unrest was growing among the residents of the erstwhile Fata due to the indifferent attitude of the ruling PTI towards their problems.

He urged the government to implement the Fata reforms in letter and spirit and issue the promised funds to build infrastructure and execute development projects.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2021