Report By CBN247:
Provincial Minister for Food, Zahir Shah Toru, has said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is currently facing the worst wave of terrorism, but the federal government has left the province to fight this battle alone. He was addressing a “Meet the Press” event at the Mardan Press Club.
On this occasion, PTI Mardan Tehsil President Ilyas Toru and General Secretary Haji Bakhshad Kashmiri were also present.
Zahir Shah Toru said that the police and security forces are putting their lives on the line to combat terrorists, but the severe lack of resources is a major obstacle. He added that the facilities and support that should have been provided by the federal government are not being delivered.
He clarified that linking the approval of the Minerals and Mines Act to the release of the PTI founder is baseless propaganda. The act will be approved with the founder’s consent.
Speaking about party matters, he acknowledged that while there are differences of opinion within PTI, there is no factionalism or group-making. He said the federal government is withholding the province’s rightful resources and has not yet released the Rs. 110 billion allocated for the merged tribal districts, which is deeply concerning and could worsen the situation in the future.
The provincial minister stated that after the general elections on February 8, PTI has been entrusted with two major responsibilities — improving governance and safeguarding democratic freedoms. Despite challenging circumstances, the party has played a commendable role on both fronts.
He emphasized that national development is not possible until the supremacy of the Constitution and law is established. PTI, under the leadership of Ali Amin Gandapur, is fighting for the restoration of constitutional and legal governance.
Referring to Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s recent visit to Mardan, Zahir Shah Toru said that the CM announced development projects worth billions of rupees. These include protective embankments around Kalpani at a cost of over Rs. 6 billion, and the construction of a cultural hall and a science museum modeled after Nishtar.
He further mentioned that funds have also been released for incomplete projects left by previous governments. Additionally, the provincial cabinet has approved an extra Rs. 33 billion under the ADP Plus program for development projects.
