PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has said that the change promised by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) during the general election campaign is taking place in the stipulated 90-day period in the province.
“Ninety days are not a long period to cleanse and reform the entire system, but coalition government is on the right track and the 90-day benchmark set by PTI to bring about changes in the system is becoming visible,” he said while highlighting the three-month achievements of his government at a press briefing here on Sunday.
“Not a single corruption case or scandal has been unearthed against my cabinet colleagues including advisors during the first three months of the government, which is a real change,” he claimed, adding that the government was determined to rid the society of this corrupt system.
He admitted that large scale corruption existed in the nation building departments including works and services departments.
He said that campaign against corruption would be started after formation of accountability commission in the province. He alleged that almost every official was involved in corruption that was why thieves did not like him.
About reforms in police department, he said that special intelligence units at the district level were being established in the police to address militancy and recruitment would be started very soon.
He said that online FIR had already been introduced across the province.
He said that working groups on police reforms had recommended reorganisation of police stations, elite force, introduction of traffic warden system for Peshawar and other district headquarters to improve traffic management, bifurcation of Hazara and Malakand ranges to bring administrative efficiency and introduction of policing in Malakand region.
He said plan had been chalked out to install CCTV system in police stations to improve surveillance and security. He informed that new police lines would be established in 12 districts.
One of the achievements of the PTI government in the honeymoon period, he said was that 14 online FIRs had been registered across the province so far.
When asked about inquiry committee report on Dera Ismail Khan jailbreak, the chief minister said that he had received the report on Saturday and would comment after going through the document.
“Let me clarify that nobody would be exonerated if the committee fixes responsibility against any person,” he said, adding that he would not accept the report without fixing responsibility and send it back to the committee. He stated that neither chief secretary nor home secretary and police chief had shared intelligence agencies’ report about the jail break.
“Certainly I would have called army and paramilitary forces for the security of the jail to thwart the militants’ attempt if intelligence report was brought to my knowledge,” he said and added that he should not be blamed for others’ wrongdoings.
When asked about media reports on talks between federal government and Taliban, Pervez Khattak said that these were rumours and formal talks with Taliban would begin once the federal government formed national policy on terrorism. He said militancy and general law and order in the province would improve when normalcy returned to tribal areas.
“PTI is already in favour of talks with the Taliban and tribal elders should also be engaged in negotiations,” he opined.
Regarding Kalabagh Dam project, he said that it should be constructed with consensus of the four provinces.
He said government would soon unveil health policy, education policy, new local government system and drastic reforms in police, revenue and other sectors. He said that the government was going for a record legislation in near future.
Giving details about reforms in health sector he said that a comprehensive policy was ready that would be announced in the next few days and one of the major steps was revision of medical and health institutions act 2002. He said that 100 per cent presence of doctors and other staff would be ensured in public sector health facilities.
About reforms in education sector, Pervez Khattak said that school based recruitment system was in the implementation stage and non-transferable teachers placement policy was also devised.
He said that crash course in English language would be started while textbook board was also restructured. Biometric system for attendance in schools and school adoption policy were also on card.