ANP wants Fata merger into NWFP

By: Shamim Shahid
PESHAWAR - Awami National Party President Asfandyar Wali Khan has expressed satisfaction over the ongoing military action against Taliban militants.
He was briefing the media persons after chairing the ANP Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting on Thursday.
The committee discussed the current political and economic situation in the country in detail.
He said that according to his information most of the hideouts and compounds of the militants had been destroyed or razed to the ground, and now the militants were on the run and desperately looking for shelter. He also expressed hope that the remaining militants and their commandeers would soon either be arrested or eliminated.
Commenting further on the ongoing operation, Awami National Party President Asfandyar Wali said, “We have done a lot in dislodging terrorist networks and now it is the turn of the international community to do more,” Asfandyar said.
ANP chief said that his party’s CEC had expressed satisfaction over the performance of the NWFP government and appreciated its strategy for handling the situation. At this stage, he said, there was no need for further dialogue with the militants as “Their (Taliban) agenda is different.”
He said that soon after coming into power, the government had invited the militants to have dialogue and they accepted all their demands and announced to enforce of Nizam-e-Adal Regulation. But after the enforcement of Nizam-e-Adal Regulation, the Taliban militants slipped into Buner. He said that after that, the government was left with no other option but to take constitutional steps for ensuring writ of law. He said people from all over the country, particularly from NWFP, had unanimously endorsed the use of constitutional means against Taliban militants.
The Nation: July 10, 2009