Provinces be given control over their resources: Sherpao

Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao said the federation cannot be strengthened without making the provinces stronger. He underlined the need for a new social contract to consolidate the federation and give rights to the federating units. "The provinces should be given control over their resources," he stressed, while addressing a conference at Watan Kor about the pre and post election scenario. He said no effort would be spared to address the issues facing the Pakhtuns, who were disappointed under the prevailing circumstances. He vowed to resist the efforts to diminish the role of the smaller provinces. He said the federal government did not understand the feelings of the smaller provinces. He said that conspiracies were being hatched to roll back the 18th amendment.
He said the Pakhtun leadership should play its role in removing the sense of deprivation among the Pakhtuns. He said his party would not rest until the issues facing the Pakhtuns were addressed. "The Pakhtuns must rise to the present-day challenges," he remarked.
Aftab Sherpao said that there was a dire need to promote regional languages. He said that foreign cultures were being imposed on the people. He said that Pakhtuns should be given due share in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project. He announced that an annual award would be given away to intellectual, poets and literati.
QWP leader said that government -to-government, establishment-to-establishment and people-to-people contacts should be strengthened with Afghanistan. A large number of intellectuals, columnists, journalists and academicians were present on the occasion.
Aftab Sherpao feared that on both sides of the border the voice of the moderate Pakhtuns was being silenced under a conspiracy. He said that peace was a prerequisite for development therefore concerted efforts should be made to restore peace and stability to the region.
About the merger of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said that majority of the people were in its favor, but the forces of the status quo had reservations over the development.
"Now steps should be taken to come up to the expectations of the pro-merger people and address the reservations of the anti-merger elements," he stressed.