links tranquillity in Fata with peace
in Afghanistan, issue of Kalabagh dam had been buried once and for all,
next time when I would meet workers, the name of the province would be
Pakhtunkhwa.
Tauseef-ur-Rahman
PESHAWAR: Just hours after a car bomb attack on Awami National Party’s lawmaker
in Peshawar on Wednesday, the party chief Asfandyar Wali Khan vowed to continue
the fight against extremism and expressed satisfaction over the military
operation against militants in the tribal areas.
“The ANP fully supports the military operation carried out in the Malakand
division and the ongoing offensive in South Waziristan and Orakzai agencies,” he
said while addressing party workers at a ceremony held to mark the death
anniversaries of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, commonly known as Bacha Khan, and Khan
Abdul Wali Khan at the Nishtar Hall.
Chief Minister Ameer Haider Hoti, Begum Nasim Wali Khan, Afrasiab Khatak, ANP
provincial ministers, members of the assembly, senior party leaders and a large
number of workers were also present.
Condemning Wednesday’s attack on Aurangzeb Khan, the ANP member of provincial
assembly from Peshawar, Asfandyar said that such cowardly acts could not deter
the party from its principled stance on elimination of extremism.
Lauding the sacrifices rendered by the party workers in Malakand division, he
said the ANP had a long history of struggle against violence and terrorism. He
stressed that the blood of the ANP martyrs would not go waste as peace would be
restored to the land of the Pakhtuns and terrorists would be defeated.
“The militants are doing no service to Islam by killing innocent people in
mosques, hujras, playgrounds, shopping markets, etc,” Asfandyar said,
challenging the militants to display courage by coming out in the open instead
of resorting to such cowardly acts.
Talking about the achievements of the ANP-led provincial government, Central
President of the party said that the party had resolved many long-standing issues of
the province in less than two years. He said his party came into power with the
promise to bring peace to the restive province and it had succeeded to a great
extent, especially in Malakand division. He said the issue of Kalabagh dam had
been buried once and for all, which was another promise fulfilled by the party.
The provincial government succeeded in resolving the longstanding issue of the
payment of arrears of net hydel power generation profit to the province,
Asfandyar contended. He said various other issues of provincial autonomy
including renaming of the province would be resolved in the coming
constitutional package.
The ANP chief announced to the charged gathering that the next time when he
would meet them, the name of the province would be Pakhtunkhwa.
Appreciating the efforts of Haji Muhammad Adeel, the provincial government
representative in the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, Asfandyar said
the credit for the unanimous award should be given to all provinces as well as
the federal government.
Of the detailed decision of the Supreme Court on the National Reconciliation
Ordinance (NRO), he said the ANP would give its opinion after consulting senior
lawyers of the party. He said the responsibilities of every state institution
had been clearly laid down in the constitution and there would be no threat of
any clash between them if all the institutions worked within their limits.
The ANP chief urged all political parties to unite as the country was passing
through a critical juncture of its history and it was time to jointly fight the
war against extremism and militancy.
Asfandyar said peace in the neighbouring Afghanistan would pave the way for
peace in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata). He said good relations
were in the interest of both the countries.
Earlier, Begum Nasim Wali Khan in her short speech lauded the services of Bacha
Khan and Wali Khan for the downtrodden. She prayed for peace in the province and
criticised the militants.
Senator Afrasiyab Khattak, provincial president of ANP, said the gathering on
Wednesday at Nishtar Hall had proved that Pakhtuns would stay united against all
odds and win their rights.