TIMERGARA, Jan 27: Central Jamaat-i-Islami leader Sirajul Haq on Friday said Pakistan needed honest, sincere and loyal leadership for development not atom bomb.

Addressing separate party meeting in Shingrai Timergara, Mian Kalay and Talash, he alleged that the country lacked true political leadership and that people should elect sincere and honest representatives in next elections.

Mr Siraj said people were fed up with the current government over bad governance and therefore, fresh elections were the only solution to the current socioeconomic crisis in the country.

He said people had been protesting energy crisis, especially prolonged power outages.

“Malakand division’s rivers have the capacity to produce 18,000 megawatt electricity but the government and Wapda have been doing nothing to use them,” he said.

Haji Gul Mula Khan, Haji Habibullah, Malik Akbar Khan and Latif Khan announced to join Jamaat-i-Islami.

Later in the day, Mr Siraj led a delegation of political activists during a meeting with the DCO Lower Dir and Wapda XEN over unscheduled loadshedding in Samar Bagh subdivision.

He said people demanded smooth electric supply to domestic and industrial consumers. He warned the relevant authorities that if unscheduled loadshedding didn’t end within a week, people of the area would agitate.

“People of Jandol will surround Wapda offices if their demand is not met during the next seven days,” Mr Siraj said.

Meanwhile, provincial technical education minister Mahmood Zeb Khan on Friday said he would speak to the relevant authorities for immediate transfer of Wapda XEN in Timergara over growing public complaints.

Mr Mahmood along with PPP workers visited Wapda XEN’s offices but was given a cold shoulder by Riaz Kakar.

“I will report the matter to higher authorities for action,” he said.

Meanwhile, people of Khall bazaar on Friday complained of inadequate sanitation despite the marking of a cleanliness week in Lower Dir.

They told reporters that the district administration observed a cleanliness week from January 16 to January 23 but Khall bazaar area remained without adequate sanitation.

People said sewerage system, roads and streets of Khall were in bad shape and wanted early corrective measures.

“Rainwater flows on the road due to blocked sewerage system,” a local said. He warned that people would agitate if early cleanliness in Khall wasn’t ensured.