MARDAN - Pakistan People’s Party Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Information Secretary Senator Robina Khalid on Sunday said that Awmai National Party had forgotten ‘benevolence’ of Asif Ali Zardari who, she said, not only supported the ANP in ruling KP for 5 years but also encouraged formulation of a consensus National Finance Commission award.

She was addressing a workers’ convention at the residence of the PPP Peshawar President Nawabzada Aurangzeb Khan. Nighat Orakzai, Shahzia Tehmash, Farhad Begum, Dr Yasmeen Mahsud, Asad Ali, PPP candidate for PK-52 Aurangzeb Khan, NA-20 candidate Abid Ali Shah, Javeed Khan, Iqbal Advocate and other party office bearers addressed the convention.

Large numbers of male and female founder members and youth of the constituency PK-52 attended the convention.

The speakers on the occasion strongly criticised the ANP leaders Asfandyar Wali Khan and Haider Hoti and said that the ANP leaders were claiming that they had renamed the province and set up universities, roads and other projects in Mardan. They said that their claims were wrong. They claimed that People’s Party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari had actually renamed the KP and the PPP-led federal government had provided funds for various development projects in the province.

They said that Shaheed Banazir Bhutto during her visit to Mardan before the 2009 general election had announced to establish a university in Mardan and later the PPP government fulfilled the promise. They said that the ANP leaders had ignored the favours of Asif Ali Zardari and the PPP.

The speakers also criticised Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and said that he was deceiving the masses. They added that Imran used the people of KP in protests and sit-ins in the last five years. “Imran has established a hospital in the country while the PPP leaders laid lives for the country”, they said.

The speakers said that the PPP also started several programmes and projects for the poor people of the country. They added that the PTI leaders claimed that they had brought about a change in health and education sectors of the province which, they said is totally wrong.

They said that the chief minister, ministers and lawmakers in the last PTI-led KP government and their relatives had committed a lot of corruption during the five years. They said that the PPP government introduced 150 per cent increase in salaries of government employees and also provided jobs to youth.

They also criticised former PPP local leader Zahir Shah Toru who quit the party and joined the PTI. Toru is contesting election on PK-52 on PTI ticket. They said that for the sake of ticket, Zahir Shah Toru left the party and joined the PTI. The participants of the convention also raised slogans against Zahir Shah Toru.

“The PPP started lady health workers programme, income support programme and other several such programmes for poor women during their government’, the speakers said.