CHARSADDA: Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao said here on Tuesday that voters would face difficulties in reaching polling stations owing to the prevailing poor law and order.

Addressing a gathering in Tangi tehsil, he said that candidates would also face problems in running their election campaign. On this occasion, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf nazim Mohammad Nisar Khan announced joining QWP along with his family members and supporters.

Mr Sherpao said that law and order was getting worse with each passing day. He said that political forces would have to join hands and work hard to steer the country out of the prevailing crises.

He said that the country faced three major challenges of political instability, economic crisis and rising acts of terrorism in the year 2023. He said any political party, which would come to power after the 2024 general elections, would have to work hard to address those challenges.

QWP chief says politicians will have to join hands for overcoming challenges

The QWP chief said that the people demanding level playing field should recall whether it was provided to other political parties during the 2018 general elections. He said that experiments with the political system caused colossal loss to national economy, therefore, such practices should be stopped.

He said that the experiment to bring Imran Khan to power caused economic stagnation, inflation and political instability. “What service was done to the country by bringing him to power” he questioned.

Mr Sherpao said that voters must not listen to catchy slogans as those were meant to deceive them. He advised the voters to check the track record of candidates before casting their ballots.

He said that nobody cared to raise voice for the rights of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which was facing financial crunch. He said that the cash-strapped province did not have funds to pay salaries to government employees.

He said that provision of free treatment under Sehat card was also suspended for want of funds. He said that all uplift projects in the province were put on back burner.

FOG: Thick fog has engulfed the whole district for the last four days. It has paralysed routine life as the number of road accidents has increased and government employees face problems in reaching their places of duty. The traders are the worst sufferers as there is lack of customers in bazaars.

Most of the people remain indoors. A large number of locals suffer from multiple cold-related diseases. Farmers also face difficulties in making gur and cultivating wheat and other crops.

Published in Dawn, January 3rd, 2024