Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) do not give second chances, but they gave it to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), re-electing the party in the general elections on July 25.
He was addressing a ceremony at the province’s Nishtar Hall yesterday, to mark 100 days of the PTI government.
Khan pointed out that the PTI came to power in the province following the 2013 general elections, and came into power again this year.
He said that he completely trusted KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan with his responsibilities.
The prime minister also spoke about Punjab, saying that the people of the province had a strange situation where the chief minister would act like a king.
“The people of Punjab were in the wrong habit for the past 30 years, seeing a chief minister who acts like a king,” Khan said, referring to Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif and his brother, party president and former Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The prime minister claimed that the previous Punjab government had spent billions in development funds in order to influence the 2018 elections.
Khan said that when the PTI appointed Usman Buzdar, who hails from a backward region, as the Punjab chief minister, people “made fun” of the latter.
Buzdar, the prime minister said, was a “simple man” who did not use a heavy protocol or spend lavishly.
“Usman Buzdar is simple, honest and brave and stood against the entire mafia,” said the prime minister.
He reminded the ministers and officials seated in the audience that they need to go to their offices daily and remain there till the evening, adding that he will know whether or not they are going to their offices.
“None of you should say ‘my ministry was taken away from me’ [if you are replaced for not going to work],” Khan warned.
“Keep in mind, I am receiving many messages from members of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs) who want to become ministers, so if you don’t work, [be prepared to be replaced],” he added.
The prime minister also spoke on the US seeking his help with Afghan peace talks.
He said that the US, which used to keep reminding Pakistan to ‘do more’, now asks Pakistan for help with negotiations with the Afghan Taliban.
Khan said: “I was referred to as Taliban Khan … now Pakistan serves as a bridge between the US and the Taliban.”
During this one-day visit to Peshawar, the prime minister also inaugurated shelter homes that were established by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government under its 100-day plan.
According to Radio Pakistan, 432 people will be accommodated in the shelter homes, where they will also be provided food.
Last month, the prime minister had instructed Punjab Chief Minister Buzdar to set up tents and provide food for the homeless in the province in preparation for winter.
He had added that spots were also being located in Peshawar as well as Karachi.
And last month the prime minister broke ground for the establishment of a Panah Gah project for the down-and-out segments of the society, after pictures of a man sleeping with his children on the streets of Lahore went viral.