ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has questioned the use of two helicopters by PML-N nominated Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan Abbasi, at an operating cost of $4500-10000 for almost 25 hours this month, which will be borne by the KP government.
PTI Central Information Secretary Dr Shireen Mazari said in a statement issued from party’s central secretariat that governor KP used this helicopter for political campaigning in his old political constituency of Abbotabad/ Nathiagali rather than official business, which should be focused on FATA.
Mazari said there was a bye-election in PK-45 and it was unethical for a governor to interfere in electioneering in his province, as it would be tantamount to rigging. She demanded that he should desist from any activity that could be construed as political campaigning for an election and conduct himself within the proper confines of his ceremonial office. She added that his place for political supervision is FATA and not interference in the politics of KP. The PTI has taken notice of this and has objected to it in the strongest possible terms, the statement said.
On the other hand, PTI Additional Secretary General Saifullah Khan Nyazee has criticised Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for his customary approach of taking his children and family members along on high profile official visits abroad.
The latest example is that the PM took along with his son to India to participate in the oath-taking ceremony of the Indian premier. He said that Prime Minister’s practice of taking his children along undermined the spirit of true parliamentary democracy in which institutions had been empowered to carry out the state’s affairs and not individuals.
Such practices, according to him, will always be a hurdle for good governance and will promote cronyism and nepotism at the highest level. He asked how could Nawaz Sharif justify taking along a person who happens to be merely his son and does not hold any official position in the government to be included in the delegation headed to India.
“Is Pakistan a plutocracy or a dynasty instead of a democracy where family ties and kinship define the state’s priorities and functioning of the government?” he questioned. He asserted that PM’s unacceptable pattern of caring for his family interests hurls doubts over his government’s anxious plan of granting India the status of the most favoured nation (MFN).
On the PM’s visit to India the nation looks forward to setting a path to find ways to resolve all outstanding issues between the two countries including Kashmir, Sir Creak and water distribution, he said. He said that PTI was committed to ending this and asserting merit and justice at every level of governance and the political system.