Over 13 Years, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Focused on Political Slogans Instead of Public Service, Says Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif; Emphasizes That Further Delay in Action Would Have Caused Massive Damage
ISLAMABAD : For 13 years, the provincial government of KP had become so obsessed with political slogans and agitational activities that, “welfare activities were almost absent,” has warned Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a scathing attack on the previous provincial administration of KP.
The Prime Minister, at a meeting of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Parliamentary party, said that if there were any more delays in taking any decisive administrative measures, it would have caused irreparable harm to the land.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif delivered his speech at the PML-N Parliamentary Party meeting with some key highlights:
Emphasizing Political Polarization: The Prime Minister said that political polarization was constantly aggravated in the province by these aggressive provocative acts, while the public welfare was neglected for politics.
Governor’s Rule and Emergency: “Under unavoidable circumstances, the implementation of governor’s rule and emergency was a foregone conclusion in KPK,” said PM Shehbaz Sharif. He pointed out that significant efforts were made to find a solution through discussion and dialogue, adding that a joint PML-N and PPP committee had been held and negotiated continuously for 48 hours. But, after much waiting for the finalization of the draft as agreed, no formal sign-off was provided, which demanded a stern action to protect the public, the nation, the economy and the society.
Neglect of Police and Security Resources: The previous setup left 5,000 vacant police posts unfilled, the Prime Minister said, and that provincial resources should have been channeled into giving advanced training and modern equipment to the police. He paid tribute to the tremendous sacrifices made by the people, the army and police in combating terrorism and assured that KP’s sacrifice would not be futile and the anti-terrorism efforts would be fully ensured.
Relief Initiatives and Economic Stability: The Prime Minister highlighted the federal welfare package and how more than 13 million people have benefited from fuel subsidy scheme, and how the government has allocated Rs 75 billion for direct relief to common citizens. He reiterated the importance of keeping the country’s economy stable, which is the primary concern of the administration.