Ali Amin Gandapur, a leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), stated that the party is committed to spark economic renaissance in KPK and addressing the country’s economic crisis. He made these remarks while speaking to the media outside the Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Monday. Gandapur, the PTI’s candidate for the position of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, was at the PHC to seek bail in a criminal case.
PTI’s Solo Mission: Jobs and Business
He assured that the PTI-led government in the province would focus on providing employment opportunities and fostering a business-friendly environment. PTI denied forming any alliance with PPP or PML-N for the sake of government.
The party is on the way to form a government on its own as its chielf leaders considers itself the sole solution of country’s problems. Gandapur also mentioned that the PTI had approached the PHC to maintain its status as an independent party, as the Election Commission of Pakistan had only revoked its election symbol.
Intra-party Elections
He further stated that the party would soon conduct intra-party elections and encouraged candidates to align with the PTI instead of other political parties. However, he clarified that the final decision in this regard would rest with the PTI founder.
Earlier, Gandapur had appeared before the PHC for protective bail. His legal representative explained that Gandapur needed protective bail to attend a court hearing in Islamabad. The lawyer requested that the court expedite the hearing for the bail application on the same day (Monday).
KP Economy
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa boasts the third-largest provincial economy in Pakistan. Over 80% of the rural population relies on agriculture for their livelihood. The province contributes 10% to Pakistan’s GDP and 20% to its mining output. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa particularly excels in the mines and minerals industry, achieving remarkable revenue records. It also leads in forestry, with almost 40% of the country’s total forest area located in the region. Despite these strengths, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ranks as the second poorest economy in Pakistan by GDP, with Balochistan being the poorest. The region has seen improvements in employment opportunities due to some manufacturing and high-tech investments in Peshawar. Trade in the province encompasses a wide range of products.
The major economic activities of the province (according to the 1998 Census) are agriculture, livestock breeding, fishing & hunting (42.1%), community services (21.7%), construction (14.5%), wholesale/ retail, hotel/ restaurant (9.4%), manufacturing (2.7%), elementary occupations (2.3%), transport, storage, and communication (5.7%), and others (1.6%).
PTI has governed the KPK for two consecutive tenures and completed various infrastructural projects. The party boasts itself of making police reforms and improving the health and education sectors. Presently, the economic renaissance in KPK is the dire demand after the country’s economy has absorbed shocks of political instability.
