CHITRAL: All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) President and candidate for NA-1 Dr Mohammad Amjad on Thursday said Chitral urgently needs quality education, healthcare and infrastructure networks to develop tourism which has a great potential in the area.
Addressing a press conference in the presence of local party leaders, including APML Chitral chief Sultan Wazir and candidate for PK-1 Suhrab Khan, he said former president Pervez Musharraf had a special relationship with the people of Chitral and launched a number of mega projects such as Lowari tunnel, Golen Gol hydro power, Shandur-Gilgit road and started mobile phone service in the backward valley.
Because of these, he claimed, people of Chitral loved Musharraf and voted his candidates in the general elections of 2013.
Mr Amjad said soon after the former president’s nomination papers were rejected for NA-1, Gen Musharraf specifically ordered him to contest the elections from the Chitral constituency because he
He claimed that Musharraf\’s return to the country was expected very soon and after appearing before the Supreme Court his disqualification from taking part in politics was also expected to be set aside. In that case, Mr Amjad said he would resign and vacate the National Assembly seat of Chitral for Musharraf.
He said Musharraf had resigned from the chairmanship of the APML on technical grounds.
In reply to a question, he said the APML had did need any electoral alliance with any party nor it had ever considered such an adjustment.
He said the APML had fielded over 300 candidates for the national and provincial assembly seats across the country and based on the contributions of the Musharraf government the APML was seeking votes and expecting a good response by the masses on July 25.
He also announced the announced the construction of a farmhouse in Chitral for the APML and Chitral House in Islamabad where party workers in accordance with their need could stay
Mr Amjad said elimination of corruption, bringing back looted money from foreign bank accounts, improving relations with foreign countries and rid the country of external debt burden were the top priorities of his party.
He said Musharraf\’s era had seen a drastic reduction in poverty and unemployment and the common mad had started feeling the trickle-down effects of his reforms. But after the PPP and PML-N came to power, corruption ruled the roost and signs of rampant poverty against engulfed the nation.
He said during his tenure Musharraf had started talks with China for the initiation of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Other far-reaching projects such as Gwadar Port and the coastal highway were completed during the era of Gen Musharraf. –Syed Nazir Hussain Shah