PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Thursday claimed that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf would form the next government in the province after sweeping elections.

“After coming to power again, we [PTI] will achieve all development targets,” Mr Mahmood told a ceremony in which members of other political parties from the Dir region joined former prime minister Imran Khan’s party, according to an official statement by the Chief Minister’s House.

The chief minister said more and more politicians were joining the PTI even after the tenure of the latter’s government ended.

“This is evidence of their firm conviction and confidence on its dynamic and sincere leadership,” he said.

Mr Mahmood said the ‘imported’ politicians had failed to dent the political stature of the PTI.

He said the PTI government had paid special attention to the development of Dir and other districts.

The CM said the new Central Dir district and three new tehsils had been notified formally as demanded by the residents.

He said PTI chief Imran Khan was the only political leader, who was fighting corrupt “political mafias” alone, so people trusted his leadership.

“Only Mr Imran has the ability to steer the country out of the current economic crisis,” he said.

Mr Mahmood said the conglomerate of corrupt political leaders had been exposed and it couldn’t deceive people anymore.

Talking about the development and welfare strategy of the provincial government, the chief minister said his government had taken concrete steps in all sectors, including reforms and development initiatives completed to align health, education and other social services institutions with contemporary needs.

The politicians who joined the PTI included former district councillor of Pakistan Peoples Party from Chakdara Haji Nawab, former PPP district leader from Timergara Mohammad Israr, former PPP district councillor from Kotigram Haroon Rashid and PPP president from Talash Malik Mumtaz.

Timergara president of the Qaumi Watan Party Khizar Hayat also announced the joining of the PTI.

The chief minister welcomed them to the PTI and said the party had wiped out all political parties at grassroots level due to its sincere leadership and development initiatives.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2023