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       CHARSADDA: Qaumi Watan Party central chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao has said that the government, security establishment and all political parties should sit together and prepare a joint plan of action to eliminate terrorism and establish peace in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

       He expressed these views while talking to media persons at the residence of Timber Association president and QWP leader Haji Habibur Rehman Sherpao during his son’s wedding ceremony in Sherpao area.

       QWP leaders Sikandar Khan Sherpao, Haji Jhanzeb, Qaiser Jamal Hashtangri and other party leaders were also present on the occasion.

       Mr Sherpao hailed the restoration of Pak-Afghan trade but said the talks between neighboring countries should continue as negotiations with Afghanistan were the need of the hour to establish lasting peace in the region.

       Hails restoration of Pak-Afghan trade

       He said that implementation of the Mines and Minerals Bill was a deviation from the Constitution and an attack on provincial autonomy.

       “We will vigorously resist this bill and even go to court in protest,” he said.

       The QWP chief said the purpose of the proposed legislation was to deprive a poor province like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of mineral resources.

       “The Mines and Minerals Act, 2017, was passed during our coalition government,” he said, adding that proposed minerals legislation is against provincial autonomy.

       Mr Sherpao said terrorism was on the rise in the province as an incompetent chief minister was at the helm of affairs.

       He said most areas in southern districts had become ‘no-go areas’ and that in view of the poor law and order situation, the government officials had restricted their movement.

       “Only agenda of the PTI government is to get party founder Imran Khan released from jail. It does not care about the province,” he said.

       The QWP chief said the federal government had ignored Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

       He complained that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had not visited the province in the last one and a half years.

       “The people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have not only voted for the PTI but for other political parties as well,” he said.

       Mr Sherpao said Pakhtuns living in Gulf and Arab countries had rejected the call of the PTI founder and sent record amounts of money home, but even then, Pakhtuns were being ignored.

       He said that the increase in petroleum levy would further increase inflation.

       The QWP chief said a meeting of Pakistan, Afghanistan and UNHCR was indispensable for the dignified return of Afghan refugees so that a repatriation mechanism could be devised for the purpose.

       He hailed the visit of Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar to Afghanistan and said the restoration of trade between the two countries was welcome.

       “Various channels should be kept open for talks with Afghanistan,” he said.

       Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2025