PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party Chairman Aftab Ahmed Sherpao has said the JIT report was a serious matter as it involved a sitting prime minister and his family, therefore it should be tackled carefully and the decision of the apex could must be honoured.

This he said while speaking at a press conference at his party`s secretariat here on Tuesday.

On the occasion, Mohammad Ilyas, PTI candidate on PK-21, Charsadda, along with scores of supporters announced joining the QWP.

Mr Sherpao said the JIT report was a unique development in the political history of the country because it had made a sitting prime minister and his family accountable.

He hailed the decision of PML-N to contest the report in court, saying it was a right step as it would strengthen the trust on institutions.

QWP, he contended, had been staunch supporter of democracy hence the government should adopt legal and constitutional ways to tackle the issue. He warned that any illegal step would be detrimental to the democratic system.

He asked the government and opposition not to use Panama issue as a political ploy to subside the real issues such as war on terror, energy crisis, relations with neighbours. He paid glowing tributes to the fallen police officer Sajid Mohmand who embraced martyrdom in Chaman, Balochistan on Monday.

Mr Sherpao said Pakhtuns had rendered meritorious sacrifices in the war against terror but they had not been compensated in proper way which intensified their sense of deprivation.

Similarly, he expressed concern over delay in implementation of Fata reforms, saying the KP-Fata merger would not only be instrumental in addressing the militancy issue but would also go a long way in progression of Pakhtuns.

Mr Sherpao expressed anguish over excessive loadshedding in KP, saying the prolonged power outages had had brought socioeconomic life to a standstill.

The QWP leader said relations with the neighbouring countries were of vital importance and the deterioration of ties was not in the interests of all. Bureau Report