Newly-elected Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Pervez Khattak in his maiden speech called upon the central government to formulate a clear policy on drone strikes and the war on terror.
Khattak, elected this morning and due to be sworn in later on Friday, said that the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) would continue its efforts to put an end to US drone strikes on Pakistani soil.
“If the PTI had been ruling in the centre, the US could not have dared to carry out drone attacks,” claimed Khattak, adding, “We are not afraid of the Americans and we don’t need their charity, but it is the federal government’s prerogative to give a clear policy on drones. If the Pakistan Muslim League–Nawaz (PML-N) gives a clear policy to the provinces on drones and the war on terror, we will support them,” he said.
“Innocent Pakhtuns are being killed in the name of the war on terror in KP, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Afghanistan, which is all the result of the past governments’ wrong policies,” he maintained.
Khattak further added that law and order was their top priority, and his government would have zero tolerance towards corruption. He called on the health department to bring reforms in the sector and put the hospitals in order, making doctors available on duty at all times.
Khattak, who was elected with 84 votes against Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl’s Maulana Lutfur Rehman’s 37 votes, would be administered the oath under KP Governor Shaukatullah.