Grievances of tribal people should be addressed at the earliest: Sherpao

PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao has said that development works should be initiated in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) to address the grievances of the tribal people. He said this while addressing a public gathering in Mardan on Sunday.

He said the people of FATA had given great sacrifices for Pakistan in the war against terrorism.

Aftab Sherpao lauded the statement of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa about removing check-posts from the tribal areas and addressing other core issues being faced by the people there.

He said that reducing the number of check-posts and removing landmines from the tribal areas were important issues which should be tackled at the earliest to ensure that peace was restored in FATA.

He expressed satisfaction over the extension of the jurisdiction of the superior court to the tribal areas. He said that the step would prove helpful to mitigate the suffering of the locals.

Further, the QWP chairman said that the provision of justice should be ensured in Naqeebullah murder case by punishing the culprits responsible for the crime, especially former Malir SSP Rao Anwar. He said that by calling Rao Anwar a “brave boy”, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari had played a part in making the case controversial.

He also condemned the barbaric chemical attack in Syria. He said that the earlier attack in Afghanistan’s Kunduz and the recent Syrian attacks had claimed the lives of many innocent Muslims. He further said that good relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan were vital for regional security and stability.

Moreover, Sherpao lashed out at the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government for failing to deliver on its promises made with the people of the province before the General Elections 2013.

He said that PTI was responsible for the deteriorating law and order situation in KP, while adding that the start of the Rapid Bus Transit (BRT) project in Peshawar was a waste of public tax money.