Shehbaz Urges PML-N Leadership in KP to Prioritise Public Welfare Projects

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has urged Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to prioritise short-term projects that directly benefit the public.

Addressing a gathering of the party’s provincial leadership on Saturday, he said residents had endured years of developmental neglect. He criticised the previous PTI-led provincial government, arguing that its claims of major reforms in education and health had not translated into basic facilities for citizens.

The prime minister said political protests and sit-ins had diverted attention from the province’s socio-economic needs. He questioned how many development projects the previous government completed and whether it used public funds transparently.

He also raised concerns about corruption and the implementation of past provincial policies.

Shehbaz Highlights Sacrifices in Fight Against Terrorism

The prime minister paid tribute to the people of KP, law enforcement agencies and the armed forces for their sacrifices in the fight against terrorism.

He said Pakistan had lost around 80,000 lives during the conflict. He placed the country’s economic losses between $150 billion and $200 billion.

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Shehbaz also recalled the Army Public School attack in Peshawar, describing it as an unforgettable act of brutality. He acknowledged the sacrifices of political figures, security personnel and civilians.

He stressed the need for continued vigilance, economic development and stronger public services to address the province’s security challenges.

Prime Minister Questions Use of KP’s NFC Share

Shehbaz referred to the 2010 National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, reached under then-prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani with the consensus of all provincial chief ministers.

He said the award allocated an additional one per cent share to KP. According to him, the province had received approximately Rs800 billion through this arrangement over the years.

The prime minister questioned how much of this funding went towards strengthening the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and local police.

He argued that better use of these resources could have improved the police force’s capacity to tackle security threats. He also pointed to around 8,000 vacant police positions in the province.

Shehbaz Defends Position on Governor’s Rule

The prime minister described the imposition of governor’s rule in KP as an unavoidable step to protect the state, economy and public welfare.

He said the federal government had tried to engage the provincial PTI leadership through negotiations. A joint delegation of PML-N and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) representatives held discussions and prepared draft proposals, he said.

However, Shehbaz alleged that KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi delayed the proposals. He said the government had therefore faced limited options.

The prime minister argued that further hesitation could have put the country, economy and province at greater risk.

Fuel Subsidy Provides Relief to Citizens

Shehbaz acknowledged that tensions in the Gulf region had pushed up global energy prices. However, he said the federal government had maintained uninterrupted petrol and diesel supplies across Pakistan.

He highlighted a targeted fuel subsidy programme launched in February with an allocation of Rs75 billion.

According to the prime minister, the programme had delivered relief vouchers to approximately 130 million citizens.

Daanish Schools Planned in Remote Districts

The prime minister also outlined plans to expand the Daanish Schools programme across remote districts of KP.

The proposed campuses include locations in Chitral, Haripur, Mansehra, Bajaur and Shangla. He said the government planned to announce additional campuses later in the year.

Shehbaz urged PML-N leaders to focus on practical initiatives that improve education, public services and living conditions.

He said the party’s provincial leadership must prioritise projects that deliver visible benefits to residents rather than focus solely on political activity.