SWABI, Feb 8: Leaders and workers of Swabi Jamhoori Ittehad (SJI) blocked the Swabi-Topi road near the office of district coordination officer for an hour on Wednesday to protest against the stoppage of Rs20 million cess development funds to the party MPA Javaid Khan Tarakai.

Led by MPA Tarakai and Buland Iqbal, the SJI workers chanted slogans against the Awami National Party and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, alleging that Chief Minister Ameer Haidar Hoti had ordered the stoppage of funds.

The protesters also handed over a memorandum to the assistant coordination officer, as the DCO was not present at his office.

Mr Tarakai told media persons that earlier he had sent a 20-member jirga to the DCO to release his funds, but there was no result of that meeting.

“Now the people of my constituency have protested and if the government failed to release my funds then the college and school students would march to his office,” said the MPA. However, he added that they hoped that the funds would be released soon.

He said that on the one had the ruling ANP leaders were talking of supremacy of parliament, on the other they had blocked funds of the opposition MPAs. He said a few days ago they met with the chief minister, who complained that the opposition MPAs had been accusing the government of corrupt practices.

It has been learnt that provincial minister Zarshaid Khan, MPAs Sarfaraz Khan Jadoon and Sikandar Irfan and CM’s advisor Mukhtiar Khan had already received Rs 80 million funds.

BOOST FOR PTI: Awami National Party’s former district vice president Fazal Rehman joined Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf in a function held here on Wednesday, two days before the visit of PTI chairman Imran Khan to the district.

The PTI provincial and district leaders visited Mr Rehman’s residence where he announced to quit ANP for joining Imran’s party. Mr Rehman said that the days were gone when the district used to be the stronghold of ANP, as it had done nothing for the people of Swabi.

CONDOLENCE: PPP-S chief Aftab Sherpao, provincial ministers Hussain Babak, Zahir Ali Shah and Zarshaid Khan, senior ministers Bashir Bilour and Rahimdad Khan, and Azam Hoti on Wednesday visited the residence of Javid Iqbal, former provincial chief secretary, here at Baja village and offered condolences over the death of his father. Hakim Ajab Khan, father of Mr Iqbal, passed away on Monday.