PESHAWAR: For the first time during the last eight months, the opposition in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly took Chief Minister Pervez Khattak to the task and held him responsible for the growing lawlessness, bad governance and demoralisation of the police force in the province.
The opposition had requisitioned the session to discuss law and order situation and other issues.
Starting debate on the prevailing law and order situation in the provincial assembly on Thursday, opposition leader Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan said Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) led coalition government had proved disastrous and disappointed over 20 million people of this province.
Painting a bleak picture of governance and administration in the province, the opposition leader said many competent officers including senior bureaucrats and police officers had left the province and the chief minister was to blame.
“You (Pervez Khattak) compelled competent officers to leave the province and even removed the chief secretary with a single stroke of pen,” he said, adding that there was already a dearth of brilliant administrative officers in the province.
Sardar Mehtab said the people and personnel of law enforcement agencies had demoralised due to bad management.
He said four capital city police officers had been transferred in last eight months.
“More than 150 police officials and personnel of the law enforcement agencies lost life during the last few months, but I am very sorry to say that neither the chief minister nor his cabinet members or senior officers attended funeral prayers,” he said.
In the hour-long speech, the opposition leader spoke on terrorism, sectarian killings in Peshawar, extortions, kidnappings for ransom, governance, and challenges to be faced by the PTI-led government in coming months.
He called for strict crackdown on sectarian killings and warned that sectarian violence was a serious warning.
Sardar Mehtab criticised the chief minister for his indecisiveness, saying this has led to the deterioration of the law and order situation despite full support of the opposition and the federal government.
He said all MPAs in the ruling coalition had become ministers, advisers, special assistants or parliamentary secretaries but there existed no government in the province.
Referring to the frequent interference of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and his wizard Jehangir Tareen in the provincial matters, the opposition leader advised Pervez Khattak: “Don’t take directions from Bani Gala and Lodhran as they are unaware of ground realities. Use your own wisdom and experience.”
He said the provincial government blocked Nato supplies, but the federal government did not interfere and fully supported PTI stand Opposition paints bleak picture of governance in KP against the US drone strikes.
Sardar Mehtab predicted major developments in the region after the pullout of Nato forces from Afghanistan as well as general elections in India.
“This province will remain in the eye of storm,” he observed urging the government to improve level of preparedness.
Sardar Mehtab warned of massive displacement in case peace talks between government and the Taliban militants failed, saying geographically position of the province was very important for the country.
He said lawlessness in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could engulf entire country therefore he urged provincial government to prepare itself for worst scenario.
“Mr Chief Minister, time will not wait for you. You can’t hold America, Taliban, drone attacks or Nawaz Sharif responsible for lawlessness, therefore you have to take bold decisions,” he maintained and assured that despite political divide opposition must stay behind you.
“You are the lucky chief executive in the history of this province, because opposition and federal government gave you full support,” he said.
The opposition leader asked the chief minister to bring capable and experienced officers to the province because ordinary bureaucrats could not handle this province.
MPAs Sardar Hussain Babak and Maulana Lutfur Rehman also spoke on the issue.
Replying to the opposition tirade, information minister Shah Farman criticised the opposition benches for level allegations and said the government should give suggestions.
“The government is expecting very constructive debate, but the opposition just made point scoring by criticising the government over the mess prevailing in the country for the last one decade,” he observed.
He said everyone was aware of the fact that prevailing law and order situation was result of wrong policies of the previous governments and part of international conspiracy against the country.