MANSEHRA: Minister for railways Azam Khan Swati on Saturday claimed that if the opposition tabled a no-trust move against the prime minister, it would fail.

“The divided opposition’s no-confidence motion against the PM in the National Assembly is a storm in a teacup. It [opposition] is no position to oust the prime minister as the allies will continue to support him,” he told a public meeting held here as part of the election campaign of PTI tehsil mayoral candidate Kamal Saleem Swati.

The minister also inaugurated the candidate’s election office.

Swati insists allies will continue backing Imran

He said the ruling party would sweep the second phase of local body elections in Hazara division and other parts of the province.

Mr Swati said if the PTI nominee won mayor election, he would secure mega development funds for the region unlike the PML-N candidate, who, as an MPA, failed to get any funding for Mansehra during the last three and a half years.

CIVIL DEFENCE: Additional deputy commissioner Maqbool Hussain on Saturday said the civil defence squad saved many lives in the recent years as natural calamities hit the district.

He was speaking during a ceremony organised by the Saibaan Development Organisation here to give away awards and appreciation certificates to the civil defence volunteers.

Mr Maqbool said the volunteers were honoured for endangering their lives to save others during natural disasters.

Saibaan chief executive officer Sahibzada Jawad Alfaizi praised the civil defence squad’s rescue work after the 2005 earthquake and other calamities.

Mr Maqbool and Mr Alfaizi later gave away shields and certificates to the volunteers.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader retired Captain Mohammad Safdar on Saturday claimed that his party’s candidates would win tehsil mayor slots in Mansehra district.

“We [PML-N] will win most seats in the second phase of local body elections not only in Hazara division but in other parts of the province as well,” Mr Safdar told reporters here.

The PML-N leader said the people wouldn’t vote for the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf in the LG elections over record inflation and unemployment in the country.

He said the days of the PTI government were numbered as the opposition parties were united to oust it.

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2022