Here to stay: Democracy in safe hands, says PTI chief
Ruling out the possibility of mid-term elections, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday said there are no threats to democracy.
“There are some elements that are trying to push their own agenda under the pretext of democracy,” said Khan during his address at the inauguration ceremony of Tameer-e-School programme at Duranpur Government Girls Primary School (GGPS).
However, he said rigging allegations over the May 11 general elections last year have not been addressed despite a lapse of nearly 11 months.
The PTI chief said around 122 state-run schools have been identified in the first phase of the programme which will receive funding from the general public in and outside the country. The programme will entail renovation of schools to provide them with adequate facilities.
Khan said a total of 14,000 schools from 28,000 lacked basic facilities including rooms, boundary walls and toilets. Through this programme, funds will be sent directly to the schools identified in the programme’s website.
Khan said once people start trusting the system like they trust Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital and National University of Modern Languages, more funds will be generated and soon all the 14,000 schools will benefit from the programme.
Divulging details, Khan said a parent-teacher council would decide where the money would be utilised and a picture depicting the development work would be sent to the respective donor.
About Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s foreign tours with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Khan said this was the reason why the erstwhile East Pakistan used to call it the “Government of Punjab” instead of the Government of Pakistan.
He also expressed deep concerns over why electricity tariff was increased for Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) despite it being one of the major hydro-power generating provinces.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak said he was not only saddened “but also ashamed” over the current situation of state-run educational institutions in the province.
“The day when students from private schools start enrolling in state-run schools will be the day I will accept that change has set in,” Khattak said, adding the government will not tolerate teachers’ absence from duty.
The Tameer-e-School programme has been launched in Peshawar, Mardan, Abbottabad, Nowshera and DI Khan districts. Besides PTI Central General Secretary Jehangir Tareen, United Bank Limited Senior Executive Director Syed Javed also donated Rs2.5 million for GGPS Duranpur.
Here to stay: Democracy in safe hands, says PTI chief – The Express Tribune