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ANP backs Seraiki province
Awami National Party chief Asfandyar Wali Khan described provincial autonomy as a sine qua non for the stability of the country. — AP/File Photo
PESHAWAR: Awami National Party chief Asfandyar Wali Khan alluded to his party’s support for a Seraiki province by declaring that the ANP organization in the Seraiki belt was a separate unit ‘whether people like it or not’.
He described provincial autonomy as a sine qua non for the stability of the country. ‘Pakistan can never progress till the provinces are given complete financial autonomy,’ he added.
Speaking at a function held here on Wednesday to welcome Sajid Khan Rajar, district nazim of Charsadda, in the folds of ANP, Asfandyar said despite all kinds of odds his party would not yield to the terrorist forces, fighting against state and killing Pakhtuns to advance their own agenda.
Mr Rajar was an old member of ANP and severed his ties with the party sometimes ago and joined Pakistan People’s Party-Sherpao.
‘The Nizam-i-Adl Regulations will be promulgated in letter and spirit in Malakand division. Apparently, militants have taken up arms to fight for the Islam, it proved wrong, because they had refused to lay down arms,’ Asfandyar said.
He said that militants were not interested in Nizam-i-Adl, instead they had a different agenda, which they proved by marching towards Buner soon after the implementation of NAR in Malakand division.
He said that the ANP-led coalition government did not enforce Nizam-i-Adl in Swat on the pressure of Sufi Mohammad, Fazlullah or Muslim Khan rather it was the demand of Malakand people.
He said that the battle in Pakhtun area was being fought for the survival of the entire country. He appealed to people of other provinces as well as politicians of Pakistan to support them in their fight against terrorists, saying that those who thought that the menace could be stopped at river Indus were seriously mistaken.
Talking about the division of Punjab into two provinces, Asfandyar said that ANP had separate party organisation in the Seraiki belt and they considered it a separate unit whether people agreed to it or not.
In response to the demands put up by Charsadda nazim, Asfandyar announced 20 electricity transformers for the district.
Provincial president of the party Senator Afrasiab Khattak on the occasion said that ANP was the only political force that had a clear-cut stance on the ongoing violence and terrorism across the country.
He said that some of the political parties were opposing the government for launching military operation, but they had never criticised those elements responsible for suicide attacks, destruction of schools and attacks on mosques and funeral prayers. He asked other political parties to explain their stance on militancy.
Lauding the generosity and openheartedness of the people of Swabi, Mardan Charsadda and Peshawar, Afrasiab said that Pakhtuns had proved that they were united and they would stay united against all odds.
Earlier, Sajid Khan along with hundreds of his comrades announced rejoining ANP. He assured the party leadership that he would work hard for the betterment of the party and people of the district.
DAWN:Thursday, 09 Jul, 2009
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