LONDON: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan said on Tuesday that he would have faced countless difficulties if the party had formed a government in the centre after the 2013 general elections.
In an interview with BBC Urdu, Imran Khan reasoned that had he formed the federal government in 2013, he would have faced difficulties due to inexperienced parliamentarians.
Except for Pervaiz Khattak, it took other parliamentarians a year to understand how to run affairs, he said, adding that the PTI leaders had shown exceptional leadership qualities despite their inexperience.
“I have learnt a lot during PTI’s tenure in KP,” said the PTI chief, adding that he was hopeful that the PTI would prove to be victorious in the next general elections.
He also said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s municipal system, education system and easy access to health facilities were the three achievements he was most proud of. “Compared to other provinces, we have spent the most money on education,” he remarked.
On KP’s municipal system, he said that the new system could not be implemented as some members of his own party and provincial bureaucracies had been opposing it.
“As per the law, the system has been implemented, however, the actual implementation is taking some time. We have made some revolutionary changes, which had never been seen in Pakistan, due to which some of our [PTI] MPAs and bureaucrats are against it.”
KP had the best municipal system in the entire country, he claimed, adding that officials in other provinces had also demanded a similar system.
“The Karachi mayor has said that he wants KP’s municipal system. Punjab’s municipal officials say that they also want to implement a similar system. There must be something in this system that everyone is demanding it.” Regarding improvements in the Health Department, Imran Khan said that the PTI’s government increased salaries of doctors, improved their service structure and employed more doctors. “During our tenure, the total number of doctors increased from 3,000 to 10,000,” he added.
“We need a significant amount to improve hospital facilities and buildings. We do not have those funds available,” said the PTI chairman.
The PTI emerged as the largest party in KP after the general elections in 2013 and formed a coalition government in the province. It also became one of the biggest parties in the country.
Published in Daily Times, September 6th 2017.
