Mardan: Chairman of his own faction of Pakistan Peoples Party, Aftab
Ahmed Khan Sherpao has said that the wrong policies of the rulers have
brought the national institutions and economy on the verge of collapse
that created unrest in the country.
He was addressing a public
gathering at Baghdada Mardan. On this occasion former Nazim Union
Council Baghdada and leader of Awami National Party, Al-Haj Humayun
Khilji along with family and scores of supporters announced joining
PPP-S. Aftab Sherpao said that almost all significant national assets
were in total economic losses which had brought their working at a
standstill. He deplored that the corruptibility and mismanagement of
Pakistan Railways, Pakistan Steel Mills and PIA had rendered these
institutions worthless and ineffective to perform their jobs. He
resented that corruption and nepotism had penetrated like cancer in
every institution which had seriously affected governance and shattered
the credibility of the rulers.
PPP-S Chief said that the economy
and administration were in mess as these important organs of the
government had not been doing their job efficiently as per the
aspiration of the nation. He regretted that there was no transparency
in the governance as the rulers had preferred personal interests over
national interests that brought internal disturbance and external
isolation, pushing the country into untold miseries. He lamented that
Pakistan was rapidly losing its friends and now the international
community had no trust over the regime. He said that the parliament had
been reduced to a rubber stamp thus making it insignificant to play any
vital role. He deplored that the resolutions passed by the parliament
had been ignored that an insult to the people and their elected
representatives. He said that the policies of the government had no
popular support as these were aimed at pleasing certain individuals.
He
said that the Pakhtuns had been deprived of their genuine rights in the
last 64 years and the so-called nationalists had failed to deliver
goods. He said that the so-called nationalists had compromised their
principles for the lust of power He said that the ruling elite had
deliberately put Pakhtuns backward and denied their due status. He held
these elements responsible for the plight of Pakhtuns.
Sherpao
lambasted the provincial government for its dismal performance, saying
that it had not come up to the expectations of Pakhtun. He maintained
that the Pakhtun had given mandate to the rulers with the hope for
bringing changes in their lives; however nothing was done for their
socio-economic uplift. He said that the electoral promises had not been
fulfilled and the government’s hands were tainted with corrupt practices
but public hue and cry was ignored to review policies. He said that
dollars had been received but these were not utilized for the welfare of
Pakhtuns in an honest and proper way. He alleged that the leadership of
Pakhtuns, after having grabbed votes from them, had neither focused on
their issues nor there is any contact with the public. The national
resources, he added, have been exploited which negatively contributed
towards the backwardness of Pakhtuns.
He said that the
policies of others had been imposed on Pakhtuns that earned miseries and
dishonour for them. He contended that there was need to resolve the
indigenous problems through indigenous policies. He said that only
Pakhtun leadership could understand the concern of Pakhtuns and he could
effectively address their issues. He categorically stated that others
would not be able to redress the grievances of Pakhtuns in a befitting
manner. He expressed concern over the power crisis, saying that the
loadshedding had affected the social and industrial sectors. He lashed
out at the government for increasing the prices of the electricity. He
said that the people were already grinding under the yoke of
unprecedented price-hike. He said that the wrong economic policies had
further aggravated inflation which resulted into the rise in the prizes
of daily use items and other problems.
He said that in the
present political landscape PPP-S is the only alternative to pull out
the Pakhtuns from the turmoil. He said that a vacuum had been created
and PPP-S would soon fill this so as to steer the Pakhtuns out of
current crisis. He unfolded his programme, saying that the environment
of confusion would be removed and effective measures would be adopted
bring about socio-economic change in the province so as to herald a new
era of prosperity and peace. He said that utmost attention would be paid
towards expanding and strengthening the capacity of health and
education networks. He further said that the economy would be on right
track that would not only open up new vista of employment opportunities
but it would also contribute towards the social prosperity. He
appealed to all nationalists, democratic, liberal forces and Pakhtun
intelligentsia to join PPP-S so as to bring the masses under a united
platform for pulling out the Pakhtuns from this devastating position
and to restore their real identity nationally and internationally. On
this occasion PPP-S leaders Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao also spoke. Online
