CHARSADDA: Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao here on Wednesday stressed the need for holdingfree,fair and peaceful elections to address the challenges faced by the country.

Addressing a gathering in Dhakki union council, he said that the country was facing a host of problems including rising inflation, poverty, poor law and order and unemployment.

Mr Sherpao said any political party coming to power after the general elections would have to make concerted efforts to revive economy and put the country on the pathto development.

He said that political instability coupled with skyrocketing inflation halted progress of country. `We cannot afford to be distracted from the challenges at hand,` he said, urging political forces to join hands to steer the country out of the prevalent problems and ensure political and economic stability.Expressing concern over what he called stepmother`s treatment being meted out to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the QWP leader said that the province lagged behind in the race of development as the previous government comprised on its rights.

He said that residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were facing record loadshedding of electricity and gas despite the fact that the province was selfsufficient in both commodities. `We will not rest untilthe province gets its due rights,` he said.

Mr Sherpao said that QWP would not let the people down and would come up to their expectations by honouring the pledges made with them during election campaign.

He said that QWP would spare no effort to work for the development of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the wellbeing of its residents.

He said that his party believed in serving people without any consideration for their political affiliations.-Correspondent