TIMERGARA, Oct 21: The Qaumi Watan Party would work for attaining the rights of Pakhtuns across the country as Awami National Party failed to get their rights despite remaining in the government, said Bakht Baidar Khan, the general secretary of the recently renamed party.

He was addressing a gathering in Chakdara on Sunday. Several workers of ANP and PPP including Ali Nawab, Wajid Ali, Amir Azam, Shahid Iqbal, Aftab Khan, Zahoor Khan and Azam Shah joined Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) on the occasion.

Mr Khan said that on one hand Pakhtuns were brutally killed while on the other they were declared terrorists. “A lot of blood has been shed on the soil of Pakhtuns and there is no one to talk about their rights,” Mr Khan said. That’s why PPP-S was renamed as QWP and its flag and manifesto were changed, he added.

Mr Khan said that QWP would prove itself a real representative political party of Pakhtuns. The QWP leader said that he remained MPA only for 18 months while Dr Zakirullah of PPP had been in various governments for the last 16 years.

He asked Zakirullah to prove whether he had done more than him for development of Adenzai tehsil of the district. People of the area, he said, could not be deceived with plastic pipes and cement during the next general elections.

Mr Khan claimed that QWP would win one provincial and one National Assembly seat in Dir Lower on the basis of its past performance.

GAMES: Executive District Officer (Education) Bashir Ahmad said on Sunday that active participation of youth in games could help in putting brake on militancy in Malakand region.

He was addressing a function at government high school Dherai Talash where the inter-district basketball games among high and higher secondary schools concluded.

The government higher secondary school Saddo won the tournament beating the government high school Bagh Dushkhel after an interesting match. A large number of people including teachers, students and notables of the area watched the match.

The EDO said that games and other co-curricular activities played an important role in the process of learning. “Good brain needs good health and games are essential for keeping the body healthy and strong,” the educationist said, adding that games also played key role in curbing militancy and street crimes.

He urged sportsmen to equip themselves with the real sportsmanship and take active part in making the society peaceful and prosperous. He said that all big and small games had been continued in the district on different grounds that would last till Oct 25.

The EDO said that best players of the tournament would be encouraged to go forward. District sports’ technical adviser Haji Khaliqur Rahman, chairman basketball ground Aftab Alam and others also addressed the function. —Correspondent