ISLAMABAD: Former speaker of the National Assembly Asad Qa­­i­­ser on Monday alleged that as many as 91 projects of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were excluded from the federal development budget, claiming that such policies were becoming reason of terrorism resurgence.

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, the PTI leader said that the excluded projects were related to health, education, energy and other important sectors.

“We were told that additional 3pc of the NFC award will be given to KP because of the merger of erstwhile Fata but even that promise could not be fulfilled. Every year we have to get Rs100 billion but the amount is not being released,” he said.

Mr Qaiser, who was flanked by members of KP Assembly and other party leaders, said that the KP was being deprived of funds just because people gave mandate to the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).

Former NA speaker asks if Punjab has been turned into ‘a police state’

He said that the promise of releasing additional funds should also be fulfilled.

PTI leader Atif Khan said that KP was facing severe crisis of electricity loadshedding amid the heatwave.

“If electricity is being theft, why action could not be taken against a single lineman. I fear that the electricity prices will further increase after the announcement of budget,” he said.

Shahram Tarakai said it was unfortunate that terrorism was increasing because of such policies of the federal government.

Oppression

In a rebuke, Mr Qaiser condemned the government for its “blatant abuse of power and relentless” oppression of PTI workers, leaders and members of the National Assembly.

The former NA speaker lamented that the PTI-backed opposition leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan along with four other members of the parliament, was denied entrance to the anti-terrorism court in Sargodha to attend his case.

He questioned whether Punjab was made “a police state or under a martial law regime” where the political rights were trampled with impunity and the PTI workers were not allowed to convene a workers’ convention.

He asked incumbent speaker of the NA Sardar Ayaz Sadiq that being the custodian of the house he must protect the dignity of the chair and the privilege of lawmakers.

Published in Dawn, June 11th, 2024