SHANGLA: Awami National Party Khyber Pakhtunkhwa president Aimal Wali Khan has accused Punjab authorities of harassing Pakhtuns in the province and warned if the harassment continued, the people from other provinces won’t be allowed to work in the province.

“The Punjab government has initiated a crackdown on Pakhtuns from KP and Balochistan, who live there for work, trade and business. If it doesn’t stop harassing Pakhtuns, we won’t allow the presence of non-locals in our province even if they’re government employees,” the ANP leader told a public meeting in Titwalan area of Martung tehsil here on Thursday.

Mr Aimal said all those with national identity cards issued by Nadra had the right to live or work anywhere in the country.

He said his party had long been striving to claim the rights and resources of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Urges people to elect ANP for development

The ANP leader said Pakhtuns should have the same rights as enjoyed by people with other ethnic backgrounds.

He said the centre should give away the due funds to KP without delay.

Mr Aimal claimed that KP produced 6,000 megawatts of electricity and sold it to the centre for Rs0.90 per unit but in an act of sheer injustice, its residents were forced to buy the same from power companies for Rs50 per unit.

He also complained that the province was denied royalties and other financial benefits for possessing oil, gas, stones and its other mineral resources.

The ANP leader said the people shouldn’t sell votes for “plastic pipes, water tanks and electricity poles” and should instead vote for the ANP for their and next generations’ development.

He said the residents of KP needed education, healthcare and employment opportunities but all that required legislation and huge funds, which only the ANP could do after coming to power.

Mr Aimal regretted that many coal miners from Shangla lost their lives due to a lack of safety measures at work. He blamed the issue on “bad governance and the corrupt system.”

He said coal mine workers significantly contributed to economic development but the state and government had neglected their welfare and development.

“As a lawmaker, I’ll strive for the workplace protection and welfare of miners,” he said.

The ANP leader said in the upcoming elections, the people should reject those, who had been making false promises to them for the last over a decade, and should vote for the ANP for their development.

ANP candidates Aurangzeb Khan (NA-11), Faisal Zeb Khan (PK-30), Altaf Khan (PK-29), district president Azam Khan and leader Gulab Shahpuri also addressed the meeting.

Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2023