PESHAWAR:
Adviser to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Information and Public Relations, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, on Monday lamented that the federal government has yet to respond to Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s letter regarding the transfer of funds for the merged districts.
He pointed out that since their constitutional merger, the tribal districts were now K-P’s formal part; therefore, transferring their developmental funds to the province was a constitutional and legal obligation.
Barrister Saif expressed concern over the federal government’s silence, calling it deeply regrettable and a blatant violation of the Constitution and law.
Against the backdrop of rising militancy and terror incidents, especially in K-P, Barrister Saif stressed that the economic stability and development of the merged districts was essential for countering terrorism, as terrorism was not just a provincial but a national issue.
He accused the federal government of withholding funds instead of cooperating with the K-P government for the development of the merged districts, which he described as an injustice to the people of those areas.
He asserted that under the leadership of CM Gandapur, the provincial government is fully committed to the development of the merged districts, with a particular focus on education, healthcare and infrastructure.
Barrister Dr Saif further stated that the federal government must stop treating the province with a step-motherly attitude and immediately release all pending funds.
He added that the K-P government was utilising all available resources to bring the tribal districts on par with the rest of the province and urged the federal government to support these efforts instead of obstructing them by withholding financial support.
