PESHAWAR: Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir Affairs, Engr Amir Muqam, criticized the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for what he termed its complete failure to provide relief to flood-affected people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
Speaking at a youth seminar, Amir Muqam said that despite ruling the province for three consecutive terms, PTI did not extend meaningful assistance to thousands of flood victims who were in dire need of government support. He noted that flash floods and torrential rains had caused massive devastation in northern KP, particularly in Malakand Division, where more than 400 people lost their lives and thousands were displaced.
He added that the floods inflicted severe damage on agriculture, orchards, livestock, homes, and local businesses, yet the PTI government offered only “lip service” instead of practical solutions. “It would have been better if PTI leadership had stayed in the flood-hit areas to supervise rescue and relief work, rather than relying on photo sessions with victims,” he remarked.
Highlighting the federal government’s efforts, Amir Muqam said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and federal ministers personally visited flood-affected areas in KP to oversee relief operations, despite their packed schedules.
He further claimed that the youth of KP were distancing themselves from PTI due to its “agitation politics and hollow slogans” and were increasingly joining the PML-N, which they believed could provide employment opportunities and quality education.
Amir Muqam, who also serves as PML-N’s KP president, said PTI’s politics revolved around Adiala Jail while flood victims were left to suffer under open skies. In contrast, he said, the PML-N government had launched a landmark Prime Minister’s Youth Empowerment Program, alongside initiatives such as the laptop scheme, national internship program, vocational training programs, and the Uraan Pakistan program for youth economic empowerment.
He asserted that under PM Shehbaz Sharif’s leadership, Pakistan’s economy had been put back on track, while the country’s stature on the global stage had improved due to “prudent economic, defense, and foreign policies.”
Amir Muqam stressed that the youth of Pakistan have immense potential to excel in every field and urged them to benefit from government programs to play an active role in the nation’s development.
During the seminar, participants raised slogans in support of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif, and Engr Amir Muqam.
