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Khattak discloses Nisar’s ‘secret meeting’ with Imran
PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on Thursday disclosed that he facilitated Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to meet Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan “three times secretly at a friend’s house”.
He criticized the interior minister for what he said his “hypocritical style” of politics.
“I am a Pakhtun and uphold my words and (honours) promises,” the provincial chief minister said after inaugurating a branch of the Bank of Khyber in Jehangira, Nowshera District,
“It was Ch Nisar who started propagating that I met him ‘secretly’ to seek his (Nisar’s) help in order to ‘save’ the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government. I met him openly in the Punjab House and kept PTI chief Imran Khan in the loop about the meeting with Ch Nisar Khan,” he added.
Regarding the deadlock between the government and PTI, the chief minister said that Imran Khan was “still ready for meaningful dialogue” to resolve the differences. He said that the ongoing protest would continue till the government did not initiate meaningful dialogue process and announced the establishment of the judicial commission.
He lauded the appointment of the new chief election commissioner (CEC), but said that the commission should be restructured with resignation of its members from the provinces.
Khattak said that the provincial government was struggling to bring an end to corruption and favouritism in order to improve governance in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa.
He said that number of branches of the Bank of Khyber would be increased across the country with the passage of time in order to provide maximum facilities to the people. On the occasion, Khattak announced up-gradation of Jehangira to tehsil level and said that a notification in this regard has been issued already.
The chief minister also inaugurated a joint police training centre (JPTC) at Hakimabad, Nowshera District. JPTC is a modern training centre and the first of its kind in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The facilities include barracks, helipads, a 400-meter shooting arena, rappelling towers, combat sheds and mock urban and rural terrain settings. The $9 million centre, funded by the US State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), will train up to 600 police officers and 200 levy forces annually in modern and advanced policing methods.
Khattak said that the provincial government was trying its level best to make police department stronger and independent of interference. He said that his government was legislating so that no government could use police for political gains.
The chief minister, besides approving 385 training officers’ posts to the elite police training centre, also accepted the request of 40 percent special allowance to the teaching staff. He also assured funds for purchase of latest equipments for second phase of the training centre.
“The government will extend all kinds of support to police to protect lives and properties of people and maintain peace in the society,” he said.
Speaking on the occasion, US Assistant Secretary and head of the US State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) William R Brownfield said that the US was proud to support efforts to improve citizen security and enhance police capacity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“This has all been achieved because of the remarkable partnership we share with the Pakistani government and people, including the law enforcement professionals who risk their lives each day to protect their communities,” he added.
The US assistant secretary said that his country jointly worked with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police and financed the construction of police lines in Swat District and donated vehicles, radios, surveillance equipment and life-saving personal protective gears.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk