LAHORE     -   Advisor to Prime Minister on National Heritage and Culture Engineer Amir Muqam said on Sunday that the coalition government, led by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), was making sincere efforts to resolve the issues facing the Pakhtuns in the country, as they all were patriotic Pakistanis.

He was addressing an oath-taking ceremony, organised by the Pakistan Pakhtun Welfare Trust (PWT) Punjab at Aiwan-e-Iqbal on Sunday. He said sacrifices rendered by the Pakhtuns for stability and security of the country would always be remembered, adding that “We always stand by our Pakhtun brethren”.

He said he, as a representative of Pakhtuns, would always raise voice for their rights, adding that every ethnic group in the country should work for betterment of the country by setting aside its personal differences. He said that issues pertaining to issuance of passports and computerised national identity cards (CNICs) were taken up with the authorities concerned and soon all such issues would be resolved. The law-enforcement agencies should deal with Pakhtuns living in Punjab in polite and professional manner, he advised.

He said it was a mission of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) led government to steer the country out of the crises and put it on the way to progress and development.

He condemned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s diatribe against the state institutions, saying that former premier was interested in getting power at any cost. He said the PDM-led coalition government was working for well-being of people and reviving the country’s economy. He said that the nation should stand united and reject the socalled narrative of the PTI leaders, who were bent on creating unrest and instability in the country. PML-N leader and MPA Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, PWT Punjab President Haji Nadir Khan, Chairman Qayyum Zada, General Secretary Saleem Ullah, Senior Vice Chairman Haji Baghi Jaan, Senior Vice Presidents Safdar Khan and Azam Khan, Finance Secretary Bhadur Taj, Information Secretary Dr Naeem and a large number of people from Pakhtuns tribe were present. Rana Mashhood Ahmad said the PML-N had always advocated the rights of Pakhtuns and took practical steps for their welfare and uplift. Later, the PWT president gave honorary shield to the PM’s adviser.