The leader of Pakistan People Party (Sherpao) Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao Thursday hoped the new government having fresh mandate of the people could better deliver to the masses and resolve issues confronting the country.
Previous government had limitations on certain issues as many times Centre evolved consensus on some point but then provinces expressed reservations on it, Aftab Sherpao told APP.
Aftab Sherpao a former interior minister said the new government could take on board all the political parties, parliament, religious leaders and civil society to figure out the challenges. "The government now has an edge as there exists complete harmony between the centre and province," Sherpao said.
He was happy over Awami National Party's first ever decision to form government in NWFP, saying PPP (S) would support ANP endeavours to win provincial autonomy and other rights of the people, but in accordance with the constitution. "Provincial autonomy would further strengthen Pakistan. I would suggest the federation to take along all the provinces," Sherpao said.
He denied he might leave the country following suicide attempts on his life and falling popularity in politics. Sherpao said he would stay in Pakistan and keep playing his role in the national politics. He attributed militancy in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) to the rise of Taliban and other problems in Afghanistan.
Sherpao hailed the new government's move to settle Fata related issues with the active involvement of the local people, however, he called for clear presentation of all those developments which would take place in this connection. He said his party could have secured more seats in NWFP had Jamaat-i-Islami not boycotted the polls.
Sherpao said the cause of the failure might have been the PPP (S) affiliation with the previous government, and the issues like Bajour, Lal Masjid, sugar, electricity and flour. "My movement was completely restricted in the elections owing to the suicide attacks on me which affected the results," he said. He hoped his party could make a comeback in the next elections.