ABBOTTABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Member of the Provincial Assembly Ashbar Jadoon has described Governor’s Rule as a constitutional option amid the deteriorating law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying the proposal would receive support from the Hazara region.
Addressing a press conference at the Abbottabad Press Club, Jadoon criticised the provincial government over what she described as rising insecurity, corruption, unemployment, inflation and terrorism. She alleged that the government had failed to fulfil its responsibilities despite sacrifices made by police personnel, security agencies and the public to restore peace.
The press conference was also attended by PPP officials, including former MPA Sadia Tabassum, Haripur and Mansehra district president Jahanzeb Khan, Abbottabad Women’s Wing General Secretary Romash Saleem and PPP Hazara Information Secretary Naid Gul Abbasi.
Security Situation Raises Concerns
Jadoon alleged that 40,000 militants had been brought back and resettled in Pakistan during Imran Khan’s tenure, arguing that the province was now facing the consequences of those decisions. The allegation was made during the press conference and was not independently verified in the supplied account.
She called for the army to focus on border security while the police and Frontier Corps (FC) played their roles in maintaining law and order within the province.
The lawmaker also expressed concern that insecurity had spread to the Hazara region, arguing that residents across age groups were increasingly affected. She questioned why the provincial government could not establish peace if it believed it had the capacity to address the situation.
Jadoon also highlighted the sacrifices made by the PPP and Awami National Party (ANP) for democracy and raised concerns about alleged corruption in funds allocated for peace-building. She cited an estimate of Rs989 billion in alleged corruption but did not provide supporting documentation in the supplied statement.
Criticism of Development and Public Services
The PPP lawmaker said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had fallen behind in development over the past 14 years and criticised the provincial government for what she described as inadequate progress in public services and infrastructure.
She cited hospitals in Sindh that provide free treatment for heart and liver diseases, saying patients from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other areas travel there to receive care.
Jadoon also referred to institutions in Hazara, including NADRA offices, Ayub Medical Complex, the education board, a women’s police station, a women’s bank, basic health units and dispensaries, which she said were established during the era of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
She questioned the PTI’s previous promises of 10 million jobs and five million houses and criticised what she described as the lack of substantial progress in addressing public concerns.
Education, Roads and Public Spending
Jadoon expressed concern over the condition of roads in Abbottabad, arguing that development funds were being spent on parks and gardens rather than on more pressing public needs.
She also raised concerns about the state of public education in the province, claiming that five thousand schools lacked roofs and calling for clarification on the use of Rs5 billion allocated for educating out-of-school children.
The lawmaker further criticised the reported privatisation of public educational institutions and urged the provincial government to explain its policies and spending priorities.
Political Priorities and Accountability
Jadoon said voters had elected representatives to improve development and resolve public problems, rather than to focus government resources on political activities related to Imran Khan’s release.
She described the legal cases against Khan as part of the judicial process and referred to the imprisonment of former president Asif Ali Zardari and the legal proceedings involving former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
She alleged that provincial resources were being diverted towards political activities in Islamabad instead of public welfare, adding that residents would ultimately bear the cost.
Concluding her remarks, Jadoon called on the provincial government to answer for its policies and performance, particularly regarding insecurity and the deaths of security personnel.
The allegations and figures in this report reflect statements made by the PPP lawmaker at the press conference. They have not been independently verified, and the provincial government’s response was not included in the supplied material.