CHARSADDA: Qaumi Watan Party chairman Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao has alleged that victimisation of Pakhtuns in the name security has aggravated their sense of deprivation.

He was spealcing at a press conference at Umarzai here on Sunday, where former nazim Ashig Ali Khan along with his supporters joined the QWP.

Mr Sherpao said Pakhtuns had been targeted in the name of security in Punjab and Sindh as if they were not the citizens of the country.

He said that 90 per cent of the blocked CNICs belonged to Pakhtuns which created untold problems for them, adding if the issue was not resolved within two months it would deprive Pakhtuns of right to franchise in the next general elections. He warned that QWP would strongly resist the `marginalisation` of Pakhtuns.

The QWP chief expressed concern over the unannounced and excessive loadshedding in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said the KP had not been provided the benefits of CPEC.

He said the prime minister`s claim of ending loadshedding in 2018 would be materialised only if the distribution and transmission system was overhauled.

Mr Sherpaa termed the measures for the Fata-KP merger cosmetic and called for quick mainstreaming of the tribal region. He said the reopening of the Pak-Afghan border would boost trade and social relations between the two countries. He suggested that step by step measures should be adopted for improving ties between the two countries.

Meanwhile, addressing a ceremony here on Sunday, Jamaat-i-Islami emir Sirajul H aq said the rulers had siphoned off national wealth to foreign countries.

The ceremony was held on the occasion of joining of JI by dozens of ulema, representatives of local government along with their supporters.

Mr Haq said owing to the flawed policies and corruption of the rulers, the children of common people were forced to look for their livelihood on the garbage dumps, while the children of landlords and rulers were getting education abroad.

He said his party was ready to present its ministers and the party members for accountability. He said if the JI came to power they would conduct strict accountability of the corrupt people.

He said the JI would put in place a clean government, and would turn the country into a real Islamic welfare state. He said the party would end the class-based education and give free treatment to people for five common diseases.

Mr Haq said Jamaat-i-Islami would put to an end all injustices meted out to thepoorofthe country.

JI provincial chief Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, district chief Mohammad Riaz Khan and others also spoke on the occasion.