Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan has said that Pakistan will not have to import gas if it tapped the huge oil and gas reserves in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
Talking to a delegation of Columnist Council of Pakistan at his Bani Gala residence late Friday night, he said that US experts had told him that they had identified huge oil and gas reserves in KP and if the federal government extends help in exploring the reserves, Pakistan will have enough gas and oil to cater to its needs and it will not have to import LNG from Qatar.
“The federal government is creating hurdles in the development of KP while allowing the government of Punjab to spend Rs 200 billion on Orange Line Train project in Lahore, which may cater to a handful of public,” Khan said. He called for initiating projects which benefit the whole of Pakistan. “The PML-N-led federal government is afraid of development in KP and it thinks their politics will come to an end if the province progresses in various sectors.”
Talking about the Kashmir issue, the PTI chief stressed the need for pulling back forces on both side of the disputed territory for at least 10 years before holding a plebiscite and determining what the Kashmiris wanted. “Let them decide their future,” he said.
Answering another question, he said that his party will fully participate in the upcoming elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Khan said that he will lead the election campaign himself and visit every nook and corner of AJK. He said that columnists’ work is a reflection of the society and they play a vital role in creating awareness among the masses.