Chairman Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao has demanded due share of the tribal people in the multi-billion dollars project of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. He made this demand at a massive gathering in Dhobian Village of District Swabi where notables announced joining his party.
Aftab Sherpao criticised those trying to sabotage the integration of FATA with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province for political gains, terming it a conspiracy against Pashtoon people. He appealed to the international organizations to take notice of the Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir ensuring settlement of Kashmir issue as per the wishes of people of Kashmir.
QWP chief expressed concern over the efforts by the federal government to end load-shedding in Punjab by 2018 while ignoring the smaller federating units. He urged that similar efforts should be undertaken in the KP province to upgrade the capacity of transmission lines in order to attract investors providing them needed conducive environment.
"Timely steps should be taken by the federal government to address the issue in order to motivate and attract investors," he said adding that people of KP province and FATA rendered numerous sacrifices for Pakistan throughout its history but no steps have been taken to compensate their sacrifices.
Sherpao stated that due to the untiring efforts of the QWP, Central Development Working Party (CDWP) in Islamabad approved the second phase of the Pehur High Level Extension Canal project He termed it as a step towards agricultural revolution in the province.
He further said that the project would irrigate 225000 kunals of barren land in District Swabi and would be completed in 66 months time by the Irrigation department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The Asian Development Bank will provide a loan of Rs 10 billion for the successful completion of the project which would irrigate the barren lands of Gajju Khan Baba Mera, Panjpir Mera, Shahmansoor Mera, Kunda Mera, Ambar Mera, Lahor Mera, Jalsai Mera and Jalbai Mera in District Swabi.
"QWP is determined to serve the people of the province and efforts are under way for establishing Construction Machinery Training Institute at the cost of rupees one billion alongside establishing Campus of Technical Education University for people of Swabi," he said.