PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party provincial chairman Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao has said the federal government should realise the importance of maintaining a strong federation by ensuring provision of due rights to the smaller federating units to remove unrest among them.

Addressing a public meeting at Tilaband in the suburbs of Peshawar on Monday, he stressed the need for the centre to give the provinces complete control over their natural resources.

The QWP leader endorsed the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s call for evolving a new social contract and said it would guarantee economic opportunities to the oppressed people of the country. He claimed that this had been longstanding demand of the QWP.

Sikandar Sherpao said QWP believed in democratic and peaceful struggle to achieve the rights of people. He said party workers had rendered great sacrifices for achieving their political goals.

The QWP provincial chairman said Pakhtuns had rendered matchless sacrifices for creation and stability of Pakistan, but their sacrifices had been ignored as they were deprived of their rights.

QWP is the real representative of Pakhtuns and we have to work hard for securing their rights, he stated.

Scores of people hailing from different political parties announced joining the QWP on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2017